NIMBYs in Osoyoos

[amor de cosmos]

just leave the goose alone....

Haynes is the owner of a noisy gander named Lulu (short for Louis), that has drawn complaints from neighbours in the southern British Columbia town of Osoyoos, population around 4,500.

At a packed town council meeting on Monday night, some residents complained about being woken up at night by loud honking noises coming from Peanut Pond, where Lulu likes to hang out.

Some neighbours were so upset by the sound of the 12-year-old goose honking at other geese that they sent letters to city hall asking Mayor John Slater to have him moved.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col.../bc-goose.html

[Nparker]

Sounds like someone's goose is cooked.

[aastra]

Lulu's fate was decided after Haynes made a 10-minute speech to council arguing that the town's noise bylaw is unfair.

Unfair or ridiculous?

However, Monday night's reprieve came with a warning to Haynes that if Lulu doesn't stop honking at night, council will launch an investigation that could result in his owner being fined.
Coun. Allan Carswell suggested that a muzzle be put on Lulu's beak to keep him quiet.

Twilight zone stuff. I suggest the allergic-to-sound crowd should buy some earplugs. Or grow up. One or the other.

[Ms. B. Havin]

Huh. Sounds like CBC is riding on NPR's coattails or something:

A Donkey's Tale: When Urban Sprawl Encroaches
by David Baron

All Things Considered, February 28, 2008 · Wherever city meets country, clashes develop over animals. Urbanites transplanted to rural areas often find the sounds and smells of livestock offensive, while many longtime residents contend that farm animals give rural areas their charm.

This is the story of one urbanizing community's attempts to save its rural character in the face of suburban sprawl. The result was an innovative policy to protect livestock ownership. The inspiration came from a donkey.

(...)
...the essence of nuisance law is "reasonableness," and what's reasonable can change as the land changes. In other words, even with the new policy in place, Golden Valley's livestock owners may have a hard time convincing a judge that animal noises are reasonable as the community becomes more suburban.
(more)