The Town of Tecumseh is saying yes to the idea of urban chickens.
Council has approved holding a public meeting on the idea of a two-year pilot program that would allow all residents to apply for a license to have six hens in a coop in their backyards.
No date has been set, but council would like to have the meeting in November.
Comments from that public meeting would then go to council before giving final approval for the pilot project, which would start in 2020.
Councillor Andrew Dowie says once the plan receives final approval, residents would have to register with the town and pay an annual permit fee of $25 and have a property inspection conducted.
He says the goal of regulating the coops is to keep them tidy and well maintained.
"This way we do not have the risk of a coop out there that is improperly maintained," says Dowie. "We're giving people the opportunity to have urban chickens on the condition that they accept the rules that are set out."
Dowie tells AM800 News this puts a clear set of rules in place for the town's bylaw enforcement officers.
"We don't have the man power to go into people's backyards and check and see if they have chickens. They come to the town up front, get a license. If they fail to get a license then they're operating outside of the law and can be easily shut down," says Dowie.
Dowie admits some rural residents already have chickens, while many others have expressed interest in owning them.
"We don't want to prohibit people from doing the right thing or doing something that's useful," says Dowie. "So this is a good middle ground where we have ground rules and if everyone play by the rules then everyone can live in harmony and you have your freedom to do what you want to do without impacting others."