Orange County NC Website
Unified  Animal  Ordinance   <br />September  18,  2013   <br />   <br />2   <br />July  8,  2013     <br />Meeting:  I,  as  ASAB  Chair,  met  with  Allan  Green,  Orange  County  farmer.   <br />Purpose  of  meeting:  To  hear  and  discuss  specific  concerns  that  Mr.  Green  (and   <br />others)  had  with  the  draft  document.     <br />Results:  The  main  issue  discussed  was  at-­‐large  livestock  as  nuisance  animals.  For   <br />this  issue,  Chair  Elmore  felt  that  she  should  seek  the  input  of  the  Agricultural   <br />Preservation  Board  (APB).  (Note:  In  2010,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Green,  the  ASAB   <br />reviewed  the  current  policy  and  determined  that  the  ordinance  should  not  be   <br />revised.  The  ASAB  concluded  that  the  current  provision  did  not  undermine  and  was   <br />not  incompatible  with  farmland  protection  in  Orange  County.  It  was  also  noted  that   <br />discretion  in  enforcement  of  this  provision  can  and  should  occur.  There  have  been   <br />no  other  complaints  since  that  time  and  the  board  is  not  aware  of  any  that  preceded   <br />the  one  made  by  Mr.  Green.)  Other  issues  discussed  were  watch  dogs/sentinel  dogs,   <br />the  appeals  process,  and  public  input  to  the  unified  ordinance  process.  A  document   <br />was  prepared  by  Mr.  Green  and  Dr.  Elmore  and  shared  via  email  with  Bonnie   <br />Hauser,  Ed  Johnson,  Anne  Meade,  and  Robert  Epting  (lawyer  for  Mr.  Johnson  and   <br />Ms.  Meade).     <br />   <br />July  11,  2013   <br />Meeting;  Phone  conversation  with  Professor  Aimee  Wall,  School  of  Government,   <br />University  of  North  Carolina—Chapel  Hill.   <br />Purpose  of  meeting:  To  discuss  the  unified  animal  ordinance  and  the  potential  for   <br />the  ASAB  to  seek  her  input.     <br />Results:  Dr.  Wall  agreed  with  the  approach  that  staff  has  taken  to  close  significant   <br />gaps  now  and  then  tackle  other  issues  after  unification.  She  indicated  that  she  would   <br />be  happy  to  meet  with  the  ASAB  after  the  animal  ordinances  are  unified.     <br />   <br />August  19,  2013   <br />Meeting:  Between  Chairs  and  staff  of  ASAB  and  Agricultural  Preservation  Board   <br />(APB)   <br />Purpose  of  meeting:  To  discuss  the  concerns  that  the  APB  may  have  with  the   <br />unified  animal  ordinance  as  it  relates  to  farm  animals.     <br />Results:  Suggestion  from  APB  was  to  change  the  ordinance  to  provide  that  acts   <br />involving  at-­‐large  livestock  that  are  outside  of  the  farmer’s  control  are  not   <br />considered  a  nuisance  and  to  make  it  explicit  that  there  is  discretion  as  to  whether  a   <br />farm  animal  off  property  should  be  considered  as  a  public  nuisance.     <br />   <br />August  21,  2013   <br />Meeting:  ASAB  monthly  meeting.   <br />Purpose  of  meeting:  To  review  the  updated  unified  animal  ordinance  document   <br />and  an  additional  document  with  an  outline  and  rationale  of  the  proposed  changes.   <br />APB  concerns  were  discussed  and  public  concerns  were  also  heard.   <br />Results:  It  was  again  recommended  that  changes  to  the  ordinance  that  do  not   <br />impair  operations  could  be  deferred  until  after  consolidation.  The  ASAB  voted   <br />unanimously  to  approve  the  document  prepared  by  staff  with  two  suggestions:  (1)