LAKEPORT — The city council will consider adopting an ordinance that will ban the feeding of ducks and other waterfowl at public parks and any other public city property at its upcoming Tuesday meeting.
Councilman Buzz Bruns requested that the ordinance be put on the council”s agenda for consideration in response to the recent duck die-off in August.
“It”s a health issue in the park,” said Bruns Wednesday. “These people are feeding the ducks in the park, which number one is bad for the duck itself. Then what happens is they concentrate there, and their feces gets all over everything. Kids swim in that lake. It”s become a health hazard,” he said.
The ordinance would prohibit “any person to feed, cause to be fed, or offer food to any duck or other waterfowl on any public properties,” which will necessitate the posting of signs to that effect.
Health effects on the birds after eating human food, the consequent effect on the birds” migration patterns, the spread of diseases including avian botulism and avian influenza and the side-effect of the birds becoming a nuisance created by well-intentioned feeding, are among the 10 reasons listed for the ordinance to be put in place.
Bruns cited a similar solution to the duck die-off problem in Corinthian Bay, saying when a ban on duck feeding was instituted, the problem went away.
“Every public agency that we”ve talked to is 100 percent behind this,” said Bruns.
At his urging, the concept was introduced to the Lakeport City Council at its Nov. 7 meeting. Its first reading was approved 4 1, with Councilman Bill Knoll in dissent.
“Ultimately, the concern is the potential for avian flu and how that could affect the human (population),” said acting City Manager Richard Knoll Wedensday. “Fish and Game did express concern, and has in past, about the concentration of ducks and other waterfowl in Library Park, and that these birds do, on occasion, carry disease that can under certain circumstances be transmitted to humans,” he said.
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington said that while the county Board of Supervisors does not have such a consideration on its agenda in the near future, he has been in touch with the county”s Director of Health Services to coordinate an “interagency response plan” should another duck die-off occur.
The ordinance will undergo a second reading Tuesday night, and a public hearing will be held, after which the council will decide whether to adopt it.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
