Donnykins

I'm emigrating to Okotoks, AB from the UK next month and would LOVE to turn my back yard over to growing vegetables and keep a couple of laying hens. After all of the controversy over 'washing-line-gate' and wondering if this pipe-dream will remain just that. Advice please.

mikelincs

will this help? found using Google.

http://okotoks.ca/data/1/rec_docs/50...in_Animals.pdf

Dashie

Rules within city limits can be pretty strict. Some people get round this by moving just outside cities, where the municipalities have different bylaws, which can be more flexible, or there are also many people who keep their chickens anyway. Things are slowly changing in Ontario, and some cities are starting to allow it, I would have thought this slow change would be happening elsewhere too.

I don't think anyone has restrictions on veggies, aside for the weather, but I may be wrong.

dbd33

Regulation in subdivisions is all a bit dubious, there will be a town plan and a vision that goes with it. The expectation will be that there's no visible laundry, no chickens, perhaps no fences, a consistent type of grass in the lawn, no RVs, no washing of cars, the front door painted to the standard colour and so on. Perhaps some of this is enforceable, perhaps it isn't, but what's valued in Canada is conformity. Moving to a suburb or dormitory town and behaving in an unusual manner; planting wild flowers in the lawn, for example, will not help one along the smooth path to polite relations with the neighbours.

Dashie

Also very true. Move to the neighborhood considered the hippiest

dbd33

In Guelph there were lots of urban chickens near us. I now suppose we were in hipsville. I should have worn loons and got a medallion and stuff while I had the chance.

colchar

What a complete load of crap (as usual). The majority of subdivisions do not have regulations like those. Fences will be fine so long as they meet the city's code. You can dry laundry outside in most places (even in Calgary despite the incorrect information posted in that other thread). You can paint your front door whatever colour you want. And you can certainly wash your car in your driveway.

Why do you insist on continually posting such complete crap here? <snipped>.

dbd33

You haven't been to Kanata, have you?

Nor to Clarkson.

I understand why not, they're not part of Brampton. I'll try to find an example that might fall within the compass of your experience; is Bramalea too far?

dbd33

Oh my:

"City staff have told councillors the practice of hanging laundry out to dry in front yards doesn’t appear to be a major concern in Brampton, but politicians have asked for a report on how to ban the practice anyway."

http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news...m-front-yards/

I think "politicians have asked for a report on how to ban the practice anyway" summarises my view of life in the 'burbs. They'll always be looking for ways to free Brampton, or Okotoks, or any other place with a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot from the plagues of hung knickers, shiny cars and parked RVs.

dbd33

This skirts the issue of car washing in Brampton. It seems it may be allowed if it's done on the driveway and the driveway is not shared:

http://www.justanswer.com/canada-law...g-vehicle.html

It's not definitive but my point is that abberant behaviour, antics outside the norm, such as washing the car in the street, painting the house an unusual colour and keeping chickens, will not endear an immigrant to the types of grumpy fogeys who live in the Land of Siding.

It's a jolt to come to Canada and discover what sorts of things people think worthy of regulation.

HGerchikov

Car washing in the driveway is not banned here in Oakville, but the town did feel it necessary to issue a document strongly encouraging people not to do it. There are also restrictions on how long you can leave dog poop on your own lawn, and how big a rabbit hutch has to be. Chickens are a total no no.
Although I think your earlier post contained some exaggeration, I disagree with Colchar's statement that it was 'complete crap'. I have come across some very interesting bylaws. Not just here though, the place we lived in England didn't allow fences in the front gardens and no visible TV aerial.

By the way, my husband firmly believes that washing lines are illegal here (largely because I told him) and if anyone tells him different - I will track you down

Oakvillian

Maybe because it's not crap at all?

Here's an example of a restrictive covenant for a subdivision in Battleford, wherever that is. I found it through Google. Included in the restrictions are prohibitions on chickens, RVs and trailers (unless hidden from view), instructions that clotheslines must be "adequately screened from view" with walls, fences or planting, a requirement that the "design committee" approve the homeowner's decision on what colour to paint the outside of his house...

http://www.battlefordwest.ca/pdf/res...ry_estates.pdf

All of these things are real; none of them is, in your unhelpful term, "a complete load of crap."

Siouxie

Not in Calgary.

http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages.../Drainage.aspx

Vehicles must be washed at a car wash and not on a road, an alley or a driveway

Swiftcreek Estates Covenants list no washing lines, no garbage containers (except on day of collection) no parking of recreational vehicles, unlicenced vehicles, trailers or commercial vehicles on the property.

dbd33

I'm disturbed to find that rabbit keeping is allowed at all. One of my neighbours in Mississagua kept a rabbit long after the children had grown up and moved to America specifically because he believed it to be prohibited.

Colchar, who I presume goes by Hyacinth in real life, is intemperate in expressing him or herself and easily upset by any mocking of the suburban way of life. As you know, I find his or her lack of linguistic finesse to sit oddly with his or her claims to be like well clever and educated to bits. Still, I confess to being quite amused by the idea of a spittle splattered screen becoming more and more opaque each time someone fails to be realising that all roads are leading to the City of Flowers.

Ha!

Atlantic Xpat

Practical question: What do you do with your urban chickens in the winter? (He says contemplating his garden under 3ft of snow).