HomeMy WebLinkAboutProposal to draft an ordinance to prevent the feeding of coy o
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CITY OF HUNTING EACH
City Council Interoffice Corn unication
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council hers
From: Joe Carchio, City Council Memb
Date: November 5, 2012
Subject: CITY COUNCIL ITEM FOR THE EMB 19, 2012, CITY
COUNCIL MEETING— ORDINA E TOP EVENT THE FEEDING
OF COYOTES, NON DO EST ANIMA AND WATERFOWL
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
During the past several years, the city has received an increased number of complaints
concerning coyote sightings in the city. Coyotes have been observed in parks,
residential neighborhoods, residential backyards and on school campuses with children
present. Family pets have been attacked and killed by coyotes, sometimes in front of
their terrified owners. The city has hosted community meetings concerning this
problem, and a number of speakers at city council meetings have spoken of their
concerns. The city has, and continues to, work with Orange County Animal Services
and the Department of Fish and Game to educate and inform residents about the issue
of coyotes living in and near Huntington Beach. The most recent community meeting
was held at the Central Park Library on August 14, 2012. The meeting was attended by
over 300 residents. Even though there was a great deal of debate and discussion about
what to do to lessen the problem of coyotes living in an urban areas, there was one
issue that almost everyone agreed on. That issue was that the growing number of
complaints concerning coyotes in and near residential neighborhoods is partly the result
of people feeding non-domestic animals and waterfowl in parks and near their homes.
Additionally, some people leave unattended food for their pets outdoors which can
attract wild animals.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
In an effort to address this problem, I propose that the City Attorney and the Police
Department draft an ordinance stating that no person shall feed, or in any manner,
provide food, or cause to be fed, any wildlife or wild animal including, but not limited to,
coyotes, foxes, opossums, raccoons, skunks, waterfowl and feral cats. Additionally, no
person shall leave unattended any food, garbage, etc. that attracks wildlife or waterfowl
to a particular location. Any person violating the ordinance would be guilty of a
misdemeanor as provided in the municipal code.
xc: Fred Wilson, City Manager
Paul Emery, Deputy City Manager
Bob Hall, Deputy City Manager
Joan Flynn, City Clerk
Jennifer McGrath, City Attorney
Ken Small, Police Chief
Jo 0rE-
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CITY . aI .T
City Council Interoffice Communlc
To: Honorable Mayor and City Co it M bers
From: Joe Carchio, City Council e b
Date: October 8, 2012
Subject: CITY COUNCIL ITEM FOR HE OC OEER 15,2012, CITY
COUNCIL MEETING— ORD AN TO PREVENT THE FEEDING
OF COYOTES AND NON-D ME /C ANIMALS IN RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
During the past several years, the city has received an increased number of complaints
concerning coyote sightings in the city. Coyotes have been observed in parks,
residential neighborhoods, residential backyards, and on school campuses with children
present. Family pets have been attacked and killed by coyotes, sometimes in front of
their terrified owners. The city has hosted community meetings concerning this
problem, and a number of speakers at City Council Meetings have spoken of their
concerns. The city has, and continues to, work with Orange County Animal Services
and the Department of Fish and Game to educate and inform residents about the issue
of coyotes living in and near Huntington Beach. The most recent community meeting
was held at the Central Park Library on August 14, 2012. The meeting was attended by
over 300 residents. Even though there was a great deal of debate and discussion about
what to do to lessen the problem of coyotes living in an urban area, there was one issue
that almost everyone agreed on. That issue was the growing number of complaints
concerning coyotes in residential neighborhoods is partly the result of people feeding
non-domestic animals near their homes.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
In an effort to address this problem, I propose that the City Attorney and the Police
Department draft an ordinance stating that no person shall feed, or in any manner,
provide food, or cause to be fed, any non-domestic animal including, but not limited to,
coyotes, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and skunks. Any person violating the ordinance
would be guilty of a misdemeanor as provided in the municipal code.
xc: Fred Wilson, City Administrator
Paul Emery, Deputy City Administrator
Bob Hall, Deputy City Administrator
Joan Flynn, City Clerk
Jennifer McGrath, City Attorney
Ken Small, Police Chief
/o-/Z' ��
Esparza, Pa#ty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 8:14 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; agendaalerts@surfcity-hb.org
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 12609 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Johanna Stephenson.
Request type: Comment
Request area: City Council - Agenda& Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Jim Banks
Description: The ordinance proposed by Joe Carchio to prevent the feeding of non-domestic animals
in HB is so broadly worded that it would make a criminal out of anyone that has a
Hummingbird feeder in their backyard. I am not lobbying for or against this ordinance,
but please if you are going to consider it make it specific to the issue at hand, i.e., the
coyote problem, and not penalize those of us who like to feed song birds and humming
birds.
Expected Close Date: 10/16/2012
Click here to access the request
Note: This message is for notification purposes only. Please do not reply to this email. Email replies are not
monitored and will be ignored.
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Agends Item No. —
i
Esparza, Patty
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 2:10 PM
To: agendaalerts@surfcity-hb.org; Connie Boardman; Devin Dwyer; Joe Shaw; Keith Bohr;
Matthew Harper
Subject: FW: ordinance discouraging wildlife
Attachments: WildFeed.docx; ATT337057.htm; aqua.gif; ATT337058.htm
From: Humane Pest Control [mailto:help@humanecontrol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 1:08 PM
To: Hansen, Don; Dwyer, Devin; Boardman, Connie; Bohr, Keith; Carchio, Joe; Harper, Matthew; Shaw, Joe; Fikes, Cathy
Subject: ordinance discouraging wildlife
Dear Council - We're very glad that you're considering an ordinance to reduce human-wildlife conflicts. Please
see the attached doc for suggested language.
We'd like you to be sure to include the feeding of pets outdoors, where wildlife can have access to food or
bowls - and the feeding of loose or feral cats. We see this as critical.
Also, in your plan, you might consider hosting a special presentation by one of the few humane wildlife control
businesses in California so that citizens could ask questions and learn what they can do around their homes to
best protect themselves, their pets and their property. Here is a list of the companies that provide humane
services:
CALIFORNIA
A Wildlife Exclusion Service (Sonoma) 707-992-0276
Humane Pest Control (Los Angeles/Monterey/San Jose) 855-5-HUMANE
WildCare Solutions (San Francisco) 415-456-7283
San Diego Wildlife Removal (San Diego) 619-446-7438
Thank you- Rebecca Dmytryk
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M"frog Date: 4
Agenda Item No.� Z�L
i
Purpose
Feeding wild animals or allowing situations to exist that attract wildlife can result in artificially high concentrations of animals,
an increase human-wildlife conflicts,and compromises the health and safety of humans and wildlife.
Definitions
As used in this ordinance, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
"Wildlife and"wild animal(s)" shall include but not be limited to bear,coyote,deer,fox, squirrel,opossum,raccoon,skunk,
waterfowl, and feral cats.
"Waterfowl"Any bird that frequents water including but not limited to ducks,geese,swans,herons,and egrets.
"Attractant(s)" means any substance,including but not limited to,food,garbage,or salt lick,which entices wildlife to a
particular location.
"Feed" means edible material composed of grain,mineral, salt,fruit,vegetable,hay,or any other food material or combination of
these materials,whether natural or manufactured,that may attract wild animals.
"Feeding" means the depositing,exposing,or distributing feed in an area with the intention of feeding, attracting or enticing
animals.
Feeding of Wildlife Prohibited.
A. It is unlawful to feed or provide feed or other attractants to wildlife within the city limits.
B.No person shall purposely or knowingly leave or store any refuse,garbage,food product,pet food,forage product or
supplement,salt,seed or birdseed,fruit,grain in a manner that would constitute an attractant to wildlife.
Exceptions.
A. It shall be legal to feed birds,other than waterfowl and upland game birds,utilizing a bird feeder that can be accessed only
by birds.Birdfeeders that are accessed by other animals other than birds would are a violation.
This ordinance is not intended to prohibit:
i) feeding of livestock in normal agricultural operations,
ii) propagation of living food sources,such as vegetable gardens,fruit trees,
iii) provision of care by a wildlife rehabilitator,licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service as required,or their agents.
iv) provision of care by a veterinarian,City,county,state or federal official who,in the course of their duties,has wild
animals in their custody.
Investigations and Complaints.
Upon receipt of a complaint by one or more persons alleging the illegal feeding of wildlife, an animal control officer may
investigate the complaint to determine if there has been a violation of this ordinance.
Citations.
The animal control officer shall order the responsible party or parties providing feed and attractants to wildlife to stop the
procedure immediately.A Notice of Violation(NOV)will be issued for a first offense.
A repeat offense will result in a citation being issued.
Penalty-Fines.
Each day an offense exists shall constitute a separate offense pursuant to this chapter.
All responsible party or parties found guilty of a first offense of this section shall be fined an amount of not less than
dollars ($ .00),with a$ .00 fine for subsequent offenses.
Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2012 3:58 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL; agendaalerts@surfcity-hb.org
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 12859 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Johanna Stephenson.
Request type: Comment
Request area: City Council -Agenda& Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Carolyn Matthews
Description: Agenda items 27,28 and council meeting Nov 19th, Monday, to be dedicated to the
coyote topic as promised by council members in October.
We will be attending this meeting and providing you with the petition and more
information.
We would appreciate if you would not leave this topic to the very end of the meeting
because of my disabilities and cannot sit or stand for a very long time.
**** DO NOT PUBLISH my phone number. Thank you
Expected Close Date: 11/19/2012
Click here to access the request
Note: This message is for notification purposes only. Please do not reply to this email. Email replies are not
monitored and will be ignored.
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Meeting Date: j/ -/9 -2!J/
Agenda item No. ,2-7-
1
Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2012 10:27 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; agendaalerts@surfcity-hb.org
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 12875 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Johanna Stephenson.
Request type: Comment
Request area: City Council - Agenda& Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Ronald M. LANDAU
Description: 19 Nov 2012 Agenda: Please approve items 27 and 28 re feeding and trapping of
coyotes. I live in the Fountain Glen senior community and have been challenged by
coyotes as I walked my dog. These critters are a menace and must be removed from HB.
Government exists to protect its citizens. APPROVE ITEMS 27 & 28 TONIGHT!!!
Expected Close Date: 11/20/2012
Click here to access the request
Note: This message is for notification purposes only. Please do not reply to this email. Email replies are not
monitored and will be ignored.
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Meeting Date:_ // —/q —
Agenda Item No.- (��-