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A debate is ongoing in Leader regarding a proposed urban hen pilot project.
"It all started a few years ago under the previous Council," said Leader Mayor Aaron Wenzel. "There were constituents who were very interested in bringing urban hens to Leader, but at the time, the town didn't have a reliable bylaw enforcement agent. Over the last couple of years, we've teamed up with Maple Creek and shared a bylaw officer, and that's been a real positive for both of our communities. We had told the constituents at that time that once we could get some adequate bylaw enforcement, then we would take another look at it."
They've passed first reading on a by-law based partially on some other recent pilot projects in municipalities like Calgary and Gull Lake.
"There's been many pilot projects from Calgary across the prairies, Gull Lake," Wenzel said. "Ultimately, we were able to find a bylaw that's been through the rigors. We sent out for a little bit of public consultation again here just a few weeks ago. We wanted to do a first reading so that we could continue to solicit further feedback from the constituents."
The feedback has been a bit of a mixed bag so far.
"Years ago, it was more positive," Wenzel noted. "We put it out in our newsletter, and it definitely was a little bit more leaning to no over yes. Personally, I know a few people that in some of the pilot projects in Calgary that have had neighbors that were successful in getting the hens. They were terrified that their neighbor was going to have these chickens that were going to be loud and noisy and stinky. The comment I got from a fellow in Calgary said that you would never know they were there. You couldn't smell them. You couldn't hear them."
He added if approved, it would be a small pilot project with five permits available.
Leader will hold a public meeting on the bylaw before second and third reading.