Clinton backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Clinton?
Short answer
In Clinton, the zoning bylaw says no more about hens than that livestock includes fowl and poultry, and it sets no number. Roosters are allowed only in the A1 zone. Outside A1, livestock need a secure shelter at least 1.5 m from every parcel line.
Key facts
| Hens allowed | No hen-specific rule found in readable text. Livestock includes fowl and poultry. Agriculture Use is a permitted principal use in the A2, R4, I1 and I2 zones; the A1 zone lists Farm Use; the R1 zone lists neither. Bylaw No. 543, 2016 also applies but is a scanned PDF.Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025, s. 3 (Livestock), 4.7.1, 9.2, 19.2, 16.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingany cattle, horse, sheep, goat, swine, donkey, mule, llama, fowl, or poultry If a person is permitted to keep Livestock outside the A1 Zone a. Agriculture Use b. Campground a. Agriculture Use b. Daycare a. Community Care Facility b. Dwelling, Duplex c. Dwelling, Semi-Detached d. Dwelling, Single Detached The following Uses are permitted as Principal Uses in the A2 Zone: The following Uses are permitted as Principal Uses in the R4 Zone: The following Uses are permitted as Principal Uses in the I1 Zone: The following Uses are permitted as Principal Uses in the I2 Zone: |
|---|---|
| Most hens | Not confirmed. Animal Control Bylaw 543, which also applies, is posted only as a scanned image. |
| Roosters | Not allowed in any zone except A1: no roosters, geese, peafowl or crowing fowl.Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025, s. 4.7.4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingA person must not keep roosters, geese, peafowl, or crowing fowl in any Zone except A1. |
| Coop rules | Outside the A1 zone, livestock must be housed in a secure, sanitary structure at least 1.5 m from all parcel lines and kept so as not to cause a nuisance. In a residential zone, enclosures go in the rear yard or interior side yard only and must be visually screened from neighbours and streets.Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025, s. 4.7.1(a), 4.7.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordinghouse all Livestock in a secure and sanitary Structure located a minimum of 1.5 metres must locate all enclosures or shelters in the Rear Yard or interior Side Yard only and shall visually screen enclosures or If a person is permitted to keep Livestock outside the A1 Zone, a person keeping Livestock |
| Permit or registration | Not confirmed. Animal Control Bylaw 543, which also applies, is posted only as a scanned image. |
| Bees | Not covered by the livestock rules: the zoning bylaw's definition of livestock "does not include bees". No other beekeeping rule was found in readable text.Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025, s. 3 (Livestock) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingbut does not include bees. |
| Other livestock | Where Agriculture Use is a permitted principal use, an unlimited number of livestock may be kept if s. 4.7.1 is met. Outside A1 it must also follow Bylaw No. 543, 2016. No slaughter on residential parcels except as provincial and federal law allows, out of public view.Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025, s. 4.7.2, 4.7.1(c), 4.7.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordinga person may keep an unlimited number of Livestock provided that the keeping of the Livestock complies keep Livestock in accordance with the provisions of Bylaw No. 543, 2016 A person shall not slaughter animals on any residential Parcel |
| Bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025 (s. 4.7) and Bylaw No. 543, 2016, Animal Regulation, Control and Licensing.Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025, s. 4.7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingVillage of Clinton Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025 Bylaw No. 543, 2016 - Animal Regulation, Control and Licensing |
How it works
The Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025 defines livestock as including fowl and poultry. It has no rule about hens by name and sets no maximum number. Where Agriculture Use is a permitted principal use (the A2, R4, I1 and I2 zones; the A1 zone lists Farm Use), an unlimited number of livestock may be kept if section 4.7.1 is met. The R1 zone lists neither use.
Outside the A1 zone, livestock must also follow Bylaw No. 543, 2016, Animal Regulation, Control and Licensing, which the Village posts only as a scanned image.
Good to know
- Shelter: livestock must be housed in a secure, sanitary structure at least 1.5 m from all parcel lines, kept so it does not cause a nuisance.
- In a residential zone, enclosures go in the rear yard or interior side yard only and must be visually screened from neighbours and streets.
- Roosters, geese, peafowl and crowing fowl are not allowed in any zone except A1.
- Slaughter on residential parcels is not allowed except as provincial and federal law permits, and must be out of public view.
- Bees are not livestock under the zoning bylaw. No other beekeeping rule was found in readable text.
- No registration step is stated. Ask the Village Office at 250-459-2261 about your parcel's zone.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Ashcroft · Lillooet · 100 Mile House · Logan Lake · Kamloops · Barriere
Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw No. 607, 2025 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
- Village Bylaws list, Village of Clinton (read 2026-11-08)
- Bylaw No. 543, 2016, Animal Regulation, Control and Licensing (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.