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1 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 1, 2013 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 7 -a <br />SUBJECT: Unified Animal Control Ordinance <br />DEPARTMENT: Animal Services & County PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />Attorney <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1) <br />Excerpt from Approved June 4, 2013, <br />Bob Marotto, Animal Services Director, <br />BOCC Meeting Minutes (Pages 4 -12) <br />(919) 968 -2287 <br />2) <br />Unified Animal Control Ordinance: An <br />Annette Moore, Staff Attorney, (919) <br />Inventory of Proposed Changes <br />245 -2317 <br />(Pages 13 -19) <br />3) <br />Update on Appeal Actions (Pages <br />20 -21) <br />4) <br />September 24, 2013 Media Advisory <br />(Page 22) <br />5) <br />Strikethrough- Underline Version of <br />Draft Unified Animal Control <br />Ordinance (Pages 23 -63) <br />6) <br />Clean Draft Unified Animal Control <br />Ordinance (Pages 64 -102) <br />PURPOSE: To approve revisions to the current Orange County Animal Control Ordinance to <br />make it a Unified Animal Control Ordinance (Attachment 6). <br />BACKGROUND: Despite the integration of animal services through Orange County Animal <br />Services, three different animal ordinances are in force in the county.' The differences in the <br />ordinances have proven to be confusing, not only for staff responsible for their application and <br />the Court system, but for Orange County residents. <br />County staff initiated the effort to create a unified animal ordinance by convening a work group <br />including staff from the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro (and by communicating results to <br />Hillsborough staff). 2 Together these staff have substantial pertinent experience, and have <br />worked together to resolve a wide range of animal concerns throughout the County. <br />The staff believe that the creation of a unified ordinance is not only prudent but an excellent <br />example of "smart government ". It is much more comprehensible to the general public and it <br />Orange County, Chapel Hill and Carrboro each have their own ordinance; Hillsborough adopts the County's <br />ordinance. All three ordinances are available at http:// orangecountync .gov /animalservices /info.asp. <br />2 The workgroup included the staff attorney for the Chapel Hill Police Department with animal control <br />responsibilities; the Carrboro Police Chief and a Carrboro Police Captain; and Animal Services staff attorney, the <br />Animal Services Director and the Animal Control Manager. Hillsborough staff did not participate in the work group, <br />but received updates and is fully supportive of the ordinance <br />