Recently, City Council approved Guidelines for the Keeping of Backyard Hens. In so doing, the also approved staff recommendations around a series of proposed changes to the Zoning and Development Bylaw. These changes are needed to accommodate the new Guidelines.

This letter is to inform you that a public hearing to discuss these changes is being held at the following date and time:

Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.
COUNCIL CHAMBER, THIRD FLOOR
CITY HALL, 453 WEST 12TH AVENUE

If approved, the amendments would designate allowable zones for the keeping of backyard hens, and add standards for the size and location of hen enclosures on residential lots.

Anyone who considers themselves affected by the proposed by-law amendments can speak at the Public Hearing.

To speak at the public hearing please register individually by telephone before 5:00 p.m. May 18, 2010, by calling Terri Burke in the City Clerk’s Department at 604.871.6399. You may also register in person at the door between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. before the Hearing.

Copies of the draft by-laws may be seen on and after May 7, 2010 at the City Clerk’s Department in City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue, or in the Planning Department, 3rd Floor, East Wing of City Hall, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All meetings of Council are webcast. The minutes to the Public Hearing meetings are available on the Council Meeting web page approximately two days following the conclusion of the meeting.

To access the approved Guidelines for the Keeping of Backyard Hens – http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20100408/documents/penv3.pdf

For more information on the City’s work on backyard hens – http://vancouver.ca/chickens

Village Vancouver is running several workshops starting in June.

June 2 7-9pm

June 7 7-9 pm

June 13 12:30-2:30 pm

June 13 3:30-5:30 pm

June 19 12:30-2:30 pm

June 28 7-9 pm

July 8 5:30-7:30 pm

More details (and workshops) to follow.

Cheers,
Ross Moster
Village Vancouver
www.villagevancouver.ca

Thursday, June 18th, 7:30-9:30 pm

By donation

Langara College Summer School on Building Community June 16th-27th (full programme info at www.villagevancouver.ca or www.langara.bc.ca)

100 West 49th Ave, Vancouver

I think you’ve probably all heard of the film Mad City Chickens,  (and know Heather) but just in case…

Mad City Chickens (79 min) is a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards. From chicken experts and authors to a rescued landfill hen or an inexperienced family that decides to take the poultry plunge — and even a mad scientist and giant hen taking to the streets –  it’s a humourous and heartfelt trip[ through the world of backyard chickendom.

Following the film, Heather Havens will lead a discussion. Heather is an agricultural and animal scientist. In 2008, she legally inported her hens to Canada and has since worked with others to help the Vancouver City Council change the backyard chicken bylaw. Heather taught the first local backyard chicken keeping workshop in Richmond in February.

Co-sponsored by Village Vancouver and Langara College Continuing Studies.

Register: 604.323.5322 Course reg. no.: 60784

Further info: Leslie Kemp 604.323.5981 or lkemp@langara.bc.ca.