Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSkunk Problem - Huntington Central Park Area eel Council/Agency Meeting Held: .���"9•s Deferred/Continued to: "dA4 Approved ❑ Conditionally Approved ❑ Denied City Clerk's Signaftfre Council Meeting Date: 5/1/95 Department ID Number: CS 95-020 REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION SUBMITTED TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL EMBERS SUBMITTED BY: MICHAEL T. UBERUAGA, City Administrator �--- PREPARED BY: RON HAGAN, Director, Community Service SUBJECT: SKUNK ERADICATION Statement of Issue,Funding Source,Recommended Action,Alternative Action,Analysis,Environmental Status,Attachments) Statement of Issue: The city is experiencing a second year of higher than normal skunk infestation. Consequently, there is a need to appropriate additional funds for an education and removal program. Funding Source: General Fund Unappropriated Fund Balance. Recommended Action: Appropriate $10,000 into Account No. E-AA-CS-349-3-90-00 for the skunk education and removal program. Alternative Action(s): Proceed with only a skunk education program and let residents handle their own removal of skunks. Analysis: Due to the rains and abnormal growth of natural areas within Huntington Central Park, flood control channels, and the Bolsa Chica wetlands, the city's skunk population is again at a high level. This, combined with continued construction in previous skunk habitat, i.e., Holly/Seacliff, is causing residents in the surrounding area to again experience skunk problems. The city, in cooperation with the Orange County Animal Control is distributing skunk prevention information to all residents in the affected areas. This should reduce the need for contractual removal of skunks from these neighborhoods. However, it is anticipated that the city will have to respond to the most severe cases. Environmental Status: None. Attachment(s): City Clerk's Page Number FIS .... CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION HUNTINGTON BEACH TO: MICHAEL T. UBERUAGA, City Administrator FROM: DAN T. VILLELLA, Acting Deputy City Administrator SUBJECT: REQUESTED APPROPRIATION FOR SKUNK ERADICATION PROGRAM, FIS 95-26 DATE: APRIL 11, 1995 As required by Resolution 4832, a Fiscal Impact Statement has been prepared for the proposed appropriation of $10,000 to effectively address the City's current skunk infestation problem. Upon approval of the City Council, the balance of the unreserved, undesignated General Fund would be reduced to $603,000, plus an additional $5,000,000 which had been previously reserved for Economic Uncertainties per City Council direction. 1 DAN T. VILLELLA Acting Deputy City Administrator DTV:skd 0011595.01 04/11/95 3:42 PM 04 t REQUE;.# i' FOR CITY COUNCIPACTION Date AuClust 15. 1994 Submitted to: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Submitted by: Michael T. Uberuaga, City Administratore� Prepared by: Ron Hagan, Director, Community Service ROVED BY CITY COiJNCitI. Subject: SKUNKS Consistent with Council Policy? [ ] Yes [ ] New Policy or Exceitinn crrr TMEW Statement of Issue, Recommendation,Analysis, Funding Source,Alternative Actions,Attachments: OJW— STATEMENT OF ISSUE The City Council has asked staff for a report on what could be done to deal with the increase in skunk related problems in the Central Park area. RECOMMENDATION 1. Direct staff to contract with a licensed animal and pest manage- ment service to trap, remove and relocate skunks from Central Park and the adjacent area to a wilderness area; and 2. Appropriate $3,000 from General Fund reserves into Account #E-AA- CS-349-390 Contractual Services to initiate a skunk removal program in Central Park and the surrounding area. ANALYSIS The Mayor, Linda Moulton-Patterson, Orange County Supervisor, Harriett Wieder, Chief of the Orange County Animal Control, Judy Maitlen, resident Chuck Barbara, and the Director of Community Services, Ron Hagan, met recently to try to resolve the issue of increased skunk populations in the residential areas surrounding Huntington Central Park. This summer there has been an increase in the skunk population in the HCP area due to a number of factors. Construction of the Central Library parking lot, recon- struction of the equestrian and Frisbee golf area and the grading taking place within the entire Holly-Seacliff area have caused a migration of skunk to the Central Park area. .� J I PIO 5/85 :. REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION August 15, 1994 Page two At the meeting, we discussed the problem of increased skunk habitation within the flood control channel and the fact that the public has not taken steps to limit access of skunks to their backyards. The situation has caused a public outcry of residents asking the city to do something about the skunk problem. It was decided that city staff would get bids from a licensed animal and pest management service to trap, remove and relocate skunks in this area. At the same time, the county animal control and the city will instigate a public education program aimed at informing the residents in this specific area about what they can do to keep skunks out of their yards. The city will always have skunks so long as it maintains natural habitat areas within HCP and the flood control channels. However, there is an over- population of skunks currently and the proposed removal contract along with the public education program should decrease the skunk population in this area so as to relieve the current impact on the residents. FUNDING SOURCE General Fund Reserve ALTERNATIVE ACTION Do not contract for skunk removal and direct staff to do only a public edu- cation program on skunk removal. RH:cs `7— C"V-, S August 1, 1994 City Council Speech Conceokg oaksJA AND MADE A PART OF THE RECOR A� rHF. COUNCIL MEETING OF�y OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK Honorable Mayor and Council Members, CONNIE BROCKWAY,CITY CLERK 'pv�lit, (,CMAS My name is Grace Mello. I live in a lovely area of Huntington Beach near Central Park where once buffalo roamed, but now skunks roam. This area, presently known as Franciscan Fountains, is southwest of the intersection of Golden West and Slater directly west of the Park Bench Cafe in Central Park. We may have to change our name soon to reflect the new aroma our tract has acquired in recent months. It is so bad that a citizen is afraid to leave his house at night for fear of being doused with skunk perfume. One evening last fall my husband and I were walking in :Central Park west of Golden West in the late afternoon. We saw nine skunks that had the same idea that we had. Twice we had to alter our course to avoid a confrontation. It's bad enough that we have to endure the noise from the police union firing range that is about 3/4 of a mile away. City Council amended a very loose contract with the police union to include some control over the range, and the citizens appreciate what they did. Is there a way that our resourceful Council can help us with our skunk problem? How about if Council votes to declare the skunks illegal immigrants. This way we can take away their welfare benefits and deport them to Mexico, Bolsa Chica or some other far away place. Councils' prompt attention to this smelly problem would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Residents of Franciscan Fountains are encouraged to speak at the City Council meeting, 2000 N. Main St., on August 1 starting at 6:30 PM. If you don't like to speak in public, at least come down and support your neighbors. The only way we can get City Council to do something about our problem is to show them that it is a serious problem, and that there are a number of voters asking for their help. Chuck Barbara Grace Mello Carla Espinosa Ken Trester 6641 Crista Palma 6851 Via Carona 6842 Via Carona 6852 Via Carona 848-0242 847-4901 842-0399 842-5395 PAO kAL .u. II . 17— RECEtVEQ Fn^vM THECOUNCIL MEETING OF MADE A PART OF THEAT J, . OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK. CONNIE BROOKWAY,CITY CLERK op -- Z�L_ -- JL pb vI * S ,-Nbi �r��d�leNb _ gt- IT - 3 TzarA U,,� -pa.L�ru -- _____-- -- - l�1-4 - - _ AUGUST 15TH )94 CITY COUNCIL SPEEC: CONCERNING SKUNK ISSUE IN HUNTIlN(> 1 @N BEACH The citizens of Huntington Beach would like to commend Mayor Linda Moulton Patterson for her prompt addressing of the Huntington Beach skunk issue by calling a staff meeting for this purpose, along with Supervisor Harriet Wieder and Animal Control. We, the citizens of Huntington Beach also owe a debt of gratitude to Supervisor Wieder for meeting on such short notice and taking a positive approach to this matter. The method in which Ron Hagan, Community Service Coordinator, attacked the problem was commendable and efficient. He took a survey of the skunk population and determined that there were between 250 and 500 skunks in an area in Central Park which should accommodate no more than 30. It is his plan to come before the City Council tonight and plead for funds to trap these skunks and relocate them to an adjacent wilderness area. This would be a highly satisfactory solution to the entire skunk problem in Huntington Beach. At the recent staff meeting Mayor Linda Moulton-Patterson recommended that Animal Control join the city in an educational program on how to live with skunks. The next day, Animal Control Officer Lt. Marie Hulete Curtner said to the press, "We are not in the killing business. If that's that they want, then they can hire killers". Irresponsible statements like this will only cause dissension among our citizens. This does not sound like cooperation by Animal Control. I was properly quoted in an article by the L.A. Times. I quote: "Barbara, who met with city and county officials Wednesday said, he's in favor of trapping the skunks". He said, "We don't want to kill skunks, they are cute little animals. We just want them relocated. We don't want them in our backyards." Again, we want to thank all of those people in city and county government who have addressed this serious problem and are doing something to bring it to a successful conclusion. Thank you Chuck Barbara k 6641 Crista Palma Dr. ® e Huntington Beach, CA 92647 848-0242 1 a Residents of Huntington Beach with skunk problems are encourag 'to attend the City Council meeting, 2000 Main St., on Aug. 15th, starting at 6:30 P.M. Speak if you wish or come and support your neighbors who will speak.