No-feeding ordinance gets public hearing

DALTON GARDENS - The Dalton Gardens City Council has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday night on a do-not-feed-deer ordinance.

The council also is scheduled to vote on a contract for deer trapping and transport. The goal is to trap and remove approximately 25 deer starting in January.

The city council meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

Mayor Dan Franklin said Tuesday that the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and trappers recommended the city have a no-feeding ordinance in place before trapping begins.

In addition to no deliberate feeding of deer, the ordinance would make it unlawful to intentionally leave garbage, food, pet food, seeds, grains or fruit in residents' yards in a way that attracts deer.

"We recognize it's a difficult ordinance because of the type of community we live in," Franklin said.

Violators of the ordinance would first get a warning, but would be cited $100 on subsequent violations, according to a copy of the ordinance posted to the city's website. In fact, each day that goes by without correcting the violation is a separate violation, the draft ordinance says.

Residents will have to make sure domestic livestock are fed in a way that doesn't attract deer, according to the draft.