Orange County NC Website
1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: October 16, 2018 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-h <br /> SUBJECT: Unified Animal Control Ordinance Amendments <br /> DEPARTMENT: Animal Services & County <br /> Attorney <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1) Strikethrough-Underline Version of Bob Marotto, Animal Services Director, <br /> Animal Control Ordinance 919.932.4963 <br /> Amendments Anne Marie Tosco, Staff Attorney, <br /> 2) Draft Dangerous Animal Review 919.245.2320 <br /> Application Maureane Hoffman, Animal Services <br /> 3) Public Outreach Efforts: Advisory Board Chair, 919.286.6925 <br /> a. FAQ about 2018 Animal <br /> Control Ordinance <br /> Amendments <br /> b. Letter to Owners of Dogs <br /> Declared Dangerous under <br /> Animal Control Ordinance <br /> 4) Resolution of Amendment <br /> PURPOSE: To consider approval of amendments to the Unified Animal Control Ordinance and <br /> adoption of the Resolution of Amendment Amending Chapter 4 of the Orange County Code of <br /> Ordinances, in order to primarily clarify issues identified by the Orange County Animal Services' <br /> Advisory Board and County Attorney's Office. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Board of County Commissioners ("BOCC") adopted the Unified Animal <br /> Control Ordinance at its January 26, 2016 meeting. In nearly three years administering and <br /> enforcing the Ordinance, Animal Services staff, members of the Animal Services Hearing Panel <br /> Pool, and the Animal Services Advisory Board have identified provisions to recommend be <br /> clarified, added to, or removed from the Ordinance. The Animal Services Advisory Board and <br /> County Attorney's Office have reviewed the items identified below and the accompanying <br /> amendment language, and along with staff, unanimously recommend that the BOCC approve <br /> these amendments as summarized below: <br /> 1. New paragraph 4-38(c) has been added to the section titled "Animal control program" in <br /> order to clarify under what conditions Animal Control Officers may enter onto private <br /> property. This language states in writing what Animal Control Officers currently do in <br /> practice, by granting them the authority under the Ordinance to enter onto and inspect <br /> private property to investigate, impound, and/or issue citations for violations of the <br />