Editor:
Re: Delta not ready to OK backyard chickens, July 22
I have just returned to Tsawwassen from vacation and while skimming through back copies of the Optimist, I noticed an interesting article on the subject of backyard chickens. It was refreshing to read that Delta council is making a sensible stand on this issue by not allowing poultry on residential properties, even though Vancouver and some other municipalities have allowed them.
A friend of mine had experience of the introduction of poultry in a neighbour's backyard. Within days he spotted several rats running along the dividing fence, something not seen before, and he was also disturbed by a marked increase in crow noise and activity in the early morning daylight hours.
He told me this was becoming a real concern with possible health issues with the rats and also the noise of the crows and the chickens, which were seriously disturbing his sleep. He has had to close his bedroom window at night, which is an inconvenience and is not desirable on warm summer evenings.
I would also like to take issue with Vera Ganderton's claim of Tsawwassen being an agricultural community. Tsawwassen is a residential community with maybe one or two farms within its boundaries, which does not qualify it as being "agricultural."
I agree with her statement that it is a "no-brainer," but not as she means it. It is a no-brainer to keep poultry where it belongs, on a farm and not in people's backyards. In my view, this it is not sanitary or neighbourly to impose your personal desire to have chickens when they attract vermin and create noise and inconvenience.
Ganderton hopes this is an election issue. I think Tsawwassen, and Delta at large, has far more pressing matters to deal with.
David Batchelor
