By AL STOVER
Staff Reporter 

ML's deer committee to draft feeding ordinance, conduct deer counts

 

Last updated 11/21/2014 at 10:11am



The Medical Lake Citizens Deer Advisory Committee took a couple of steps toward addressing the city’s deer population at its Nov. 12 meeting.

One of those steps included the draft of an ordinance that would prohibit Medical Lake residents from intentionally feeding the deer within city limits.

Candace Bennett, Wildlife Conflict Specialist for Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and committee chair Russ Brown explained that there is a statewide ordinance that prohibits residents from intentionally feeding large carnivores.

There were concerns on whether or not the City Council would approve such an ordinance. The council turned down a similar measure, prepared by City Administrator Doug Ross, 3-2, in February 2014.

Other residents questioned what constitutes intentionally feeding the deer. Under the previously proposed ordinance, fruit, vegetables and flowers on the ground or from trees is considered natural to the land and the property owner is not intentionally feeding the animals if they eat it.

“We’re talking about going to the hardware store and buying food for deer,” Brown said.

The committee also weighed in on penalties for residents who violate the ordinance. The previous ordinance proposed a $50 fine plus court costs for the first offense. Some residents suggested a larger fine while others proposed education to teach offenders how feeding the deer is actually harming their physiology.

Brown said he and several committee members would examine the previous ordinance and make changes to it before they bring it to the city attorney, the insurance authority and the City Council.

“The subcommittee is going to have to work in the next couple of weeks,” Brown said.

Ross recommended that the committee state their intentions clearly.

“The simpler the better,” Ross said. “If you don’t want people to feed the deer, word it like that.”

Ross added that if an ordinance passes it would apply to all residents in Medical Lake and the city would send a code enforcement officer to make sure residents are following the rules.

“With enforcement comes enforcement and we (the city) would go out on a case-by-case basis,” Ross said.

A subcommittee was also formed to conduct a deer survey throughout the city. Bennett recommended that the subcommittee assign four to five routes to volunteers and have them count the number of adults and fawns they see in their assigned area. She suggested that the subcommittee conduct three counts over a one month period and calculate the average.

Corey Stevens, Medical Lake assistant fire chief, suggested the committee also count deer that come from outside of the city.

“If we’re going to get a good count, we have to get a look at what’s coming into the city,” Stevens said. “You have to look outside (the city). They’re coming from Eastern State Hospital and onto Brooks Road. You have to include that count.”

Jim Collen, who works for Consolidated Support Services, said the deer are a not a nuisance to Eastern State Hospital and Lakeland Village, but their staff understands how the issue affects Medical Lake. Collen added both institutions are willing to be included in the deer survey.

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Our Family of Publications Includes:

Cheney Free Press
Ritzville Adams County Journal
Whitman County Gazette
Odessa Record
Franklin Connection
Davenport Times
Spokane Valley News Herald
Colfax Daily Bulletin

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024