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Agenda Item 5.

City Council Meeting

Meeting Date:	10/16/2018
FROM:	Bill Gallardo

Subject:

Review Draft and Details of Wildlife Management Plan – Coyotes

RECOMMENDATION

Review Coyote Management Plan and draft ordinance prohibiting feeding or making food available to non-domesticated animals.

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION

Earlier this year, the County of Orange hosted a forum in the City addressing coyotes in the community. Representatives from Orange County Animal Care and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) presented to a room filled with Brea citizens ways to keep their properties and pets safe from coyotes. One suggestion was the formation of a Wildlife Watch program where residents are trained by volunteers from CDFW to proactively address, prevent and manage nuisance wildlife issues in their own neighborhoods. Modeled after the well-known Neighborhood Watch program, Wildlife Watch partners residents with their city and county governments to identify and eliminate wildlife attractants. The program is sponsored by CDFW, but is ultimately run and maintained by a network of committed agencies, community groups and individuals who have completed the Wildlife Watch training.

Interest was expressed to form a Wildlife Watch program in Brea. Staff contacted CDFW to learn the steps needed to launch the program in the City. That led to staff researching and writing a Coyote Management Plan specifically for Brea. The intent of the plan is to provide guidance for staff in dealing with coyotes in Brea. City strategy for managing coyotes is based on balancing respect and protection for wildlife and their habitats without compromising public safety. The main strategy of the plan is comprised of a three-pronged approach consisting of public education, enforcement of laws and regulations prohibiting the feeding of wildlife and ensuring public safety. For public education, the goal is to decrease attractants, increase pet safety, and reshape coyote behavior. Staff from Communications & Marketing/Public Information will produce both printed and digital materials to have available at City facilities and online. An ordinance has been drafted, and is attached to this staff report, making it unlawful for any person to feed or provide food to any non-domesticated animal in Brea. Adopting the ordinance will enable the Brea Police Department to site individuals who are caught feeding wildlife. And lastly, to ensure public safety, appropriate tiered responses to coyote and human interactions are detailed in the management plan. The Coyote Management Plan also details what attracts coyotes to urban areas, hazing, definitions of different coyote encounters, a coyote behavior and recommended response chart and a yard audit checklist.

Next Steps

Council to consider approval of the Coyote Management Plan and adoption of ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife.
Work with California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to establish Wildlife Watch program in Brea.
Communications & Marketing/Public Information to develop educational campaign.

Once the Wildlife Watch program is launched, staff will continuously work with Orange County Animal Care and CDFW to monitor reports of coyote sightings and incidents in Brea. Overall, to be successful the Coyote Management Plan and the Wildlife Watch program require active participation on the part of the entire community, including residents, volunteers and City staff.

FISCAL IMPACT/SUMMARY

There is minimal fiscal impact as a result of this action due to public outreach/education materials produced by the City’s Public Information Office.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

William Gallardo, City Manager
Prepared by: Liz Pharis, Senior Management Analyst

Attachments
Draft Coyote Management Plan
Draft Ordinance