‘A CERTAIN LIFESTYLE’
A Cornwall woman shares her frustration about having to remove her beloved goats from her property because she lives in a residential zone
Cornwall woman is frustrated about having to remove beloved goats from her property because she lives in a residential zone
Rosalyn Ridlington Abbott of Cornwall knowingly broke municipal bylaws when she bought two miniature goats three months ago.
“It’s like the first time I’ve ever really broken a rule,” admits Abbott in an interview with The Guardian.
Abbott purchased two miniature female disbudded goats, which are smaller than her neighbour’s dogs, from a disease-free tested herd in Ontario.
The goats, Mary and Martha, are given more space than is required in most municipalities and are dearly loved and spoiled by the family of five.
“They are adorable and very affectionate,” said Abbott, adding they are family pets now, but they plan to eventually train them to be milkers.
If Abbott lived 30 feet in either direction of their property, the goats would be allowed to stay because she wouldn’t be breaking any bylaws.
However, her property, located on Ferry Road, is zoned residential, and according to Cornwall bylaws, small livestock is not allowed in this kind of zone.
“I’ve been trying since we moved to have the bylaws changed,” said Abbott, who moved to the Ferry Road in 2014. “My family really wants to live a sustainable lifestyle in which we can really live closer to the earth, and part of that is raising some of our own food on our property.”
Despite all of her efforts, including emails, formal letters and a petition, Cornwall town council is not budging on its decision.
“I just wish that the town had been more willing to reevaluate the situation,” said Abbott on council’s decision. “The most frustrating thing has been that, apart from one councillor, no one has responded to me. No one has wanted to communicate with me directly, and I find that frustrating because they are our representatives.”
Abbott is also frustrated about the reasons her application was denied. She was told the first concern was that it didn’t fit the official plan and the second concern was smell.
Abbott received a letter in registered mail from town lawyers recently saying she has to remove the goats from her property on or before June 30 or face fines and prosecution.
Abbott has since found another home (also located on Ferry Road) for her goats.
“They are still going to be mine, but they are not going to live on our property.”
Cornwall Coun. Peter Meggs feels adequate conversations transpired between council and Abbott regarding her goats and that they couldn’t make a variance in this situation without changing the bylaw.
Meggs says Abbott is the only Cornwall resident requesting permission to have livestock in a residential zone.
“We try to look at what is best for our residents, and if there is no appetite on behalf of the residents to change our bylaws then I think we have to reflect that as councillors.”
Cornwall’s official plan says rural values must be considered as well as urban values when planning decisions are made - something Meggs feels council follows and values since 57 per cent of the municipality is active agricultural land.
However, this experience has prompted the Abbott family to make the decision to move out of Cornwall.
“We have been looking for a certain lifestyle that just isn’t what the town wants. They want to take the town in a different direction than what we are looking for. So we feel, and probably (Cornwall) town council feels, that a rural property is more suitable to our lifestyle.”