AGENDA ITEM REPORT
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AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES, BY AMENDING CHAPTER 5, "ANIMALS," SECTIONS 5-1, "PURPOSE," 5-2, "DEFINITIONS," 5-7, "PROHIBITION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS," AND AMENDING SECTION 5-8, "WILD ANIMALS," TO AMEND THE TITLE TO READ "WILD ANIMALS, WATERFOWL, AND RELATED NUISANCES," AND TO ACCOUNT FOR ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO NUISANCE WILDLIFE, SPECIFICALLY TO PROHIBIT THE KEEPING OR FEEDING OF WILDLIFE AND WATERFOWL, IDENTIFY NUISANCE CONDITIONS, PROVIDE FOR ENFORCEMENT AND PRESUMPTION OF VIOLATIONS, TRESPASS AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION, UPDATE RELATED DEFINITIONS. (SECOND READING)(PUBLIC HEARING)
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BACKGROUND:
This item was approved on First Reading at the August 8, 2019, City Commission Meeting.
The City has received numerous complaints regarding Egyptian Geese in Sabal Pines Park where geese have been congregating in unnatural numbers and flocks. The proliferation of the geese has caused hazardous health conditions on the athletic fields, in addition to safety and aesthetic concerns for pedestrians using the pathways and children using the playground and park areas. The City has worked with wildlife experts to evaluate ways in which to address the issues. One of the biggest factors that attracts the geese to congregate in areas is people feeding them.
On July 11, 2019, the City Commission considered an ordinance on first reading to prohibit the feeding of waterfowl. At that meeting, staff was directed to provide an alternative that would allow for the processing of violations as a trespass.
DISCUSSION:
The attached ordinance incorporates the provisions of the original ordinance but also slightly broadens it to address feeding of wildlife (in addition to waterfowl), provide for the identification of nuisance wildlife and waterfowl, and allow for trespass violations. It also, based on the Commission's discussion in July, provides that penalties will be assessed per incident instead of per animal. ...
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