Orange County NC Website
22 <br />9oZ <br />EXCERPT FROM MAY 20S BOCC MEETING <br />EXCERPT thorn MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />REGULAR MEETING <br />May 20, 2008 <br />7:30 pm. <br />b. Proposed Anknai Ordinance Amendment on do Teiherina of Dons <br />The Board conducted a public hearing for a proposed ordnance amendment to <br />the Orange County Animal Ordinance.restricting the tethering of dogs, and considered <br />adoption of the ordinance amendment <br />Animal Services Director Bob Maratto said that there has been a concerted effort <br />involved in staff and the athen advisors and the process has gone on for a year and a <br />half or more. He said that this issue came to the Animal Services Advisory Board from <br />the community as a serious issue for the. community to-consider and address and to <br />seek to resolve. He thinks that the concerned citizens have driven the process that staff <br />has pursued. One of the dens advisory boards appointed by the Board was the <br />Tethering Committee, which met more than sic times in 2007. This resulted in a <br />proposal for the ordinance amendment. The Animal Services Advisory Board has <br />considered this issue five additional times. <br />He said that he would underscore that the Tethering Committee and the ASAB <br />have tried to balance some conflicting concerns. He said that there are some <br />exceptions to the three -roar tethering limit and the proposal is not an outright prohibition <br />of tethering. He said that two has been a strong commitment to encourage education <br />and seek to implement this amendment over a period of time that would span 18 <br />months, 12 orwhich would be dedicated to education and awareness. After the fast 12 <br />months, there will be another. six -month period in which the new ordinance amendment <br />would not be fully enforced, but would be enforced with warnings. The amendment <br />would become effective and fully enforced as of January 1, 2010 and would become <br />effective as of July 1, 2009. <br />Yloe -Chair of the ASAB, Susan Elmore recognized the Animal Services staff. <br />She said that there are strong passions concerning Oft issue on both sides of the fence. <br />She said that she is here to support of this proposal. She pointed out pages 16-17 of the <br />Tethering.Commiltee report, which outlines the tasks of the committee. She said that <br />the committee considered all of the concerns on both sides. . <br />Commissioner Nelson commended the Tethering Committee and said that it was <br />hands down the best committee he has worked on, everyone genuinely'lrstened to each <br />other, and there was a tremendous amount of discussion on this topic. He said that the <br />committee really listened to the community and the staff was extraordinary. <br />Commissioner Carey commended *Bob Maro to and said that the ASAB worked <br />really hard to be reasonable and to educate regularly. He thinks that the proposal <br />reflects the character of what the County Commissioners are trying to do in Orange <br />County. <br />Chair Jacobs said that there are 22 people signed up to speak and he <br />encouraged people not to repeat what previous speakers have said. <br />14 <br />