2015-01-06_PR Comm Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, November 17, 2014 Page 3 1 Deer Population in Roseville 2 3 Commissioner Stoner advised that the Commission was seeking direction from 4 the City Council on specific issues with managing the deer population; with the 5 Commission to -date only exploring preliminary information on the logistics and 6 process for a managed hunt in Roseville. Commissioner Stoner noted that 7 considerable more discussion and direction would be needed prior to pursuing 8 that option, with the range of population densities of the deer in areas city-wide 9 and not only in one area. Commissioner Stoner offered to bring additional 10 information, including costs, control mechanism, and other options back to the 11 City Council if that was their direction. 12 13 Councilmember Willmus noted that a neighborhood group had previously 14 expressed interest in some method of control; and noted the great deal of 15 comment on this subject that he'd heard during his recent campaign door 16 knocking, and confirmed that the deer population was not necessarily confined to 17 one area of Roseville, but remained an area of concern for residents. 18 Councilmember Willmus expressed his personal interest in finding out more 19 about how other communities responded to the deer population problem, 20 including their successful and/or non -successful methods, measures, and the 21 possibility of partnering with other communities in the area experiencing the same 22 problem regionally, not just jurisdictionally. Councilmember Willmus supported 23 the Commission taking a look at the problem and providing options to the City 24 Council. 25 26 Councilmember McGehee expressed her personal and definite opposition to a 27 bow hunt within limited open space in Roseville; noting that this was not a 28 Roseville -specific deer herd, but area -wide, and more tracking data and 29 information would be helpful, such as from the Cities of Little Canada and 30 Shoreview. Councilmember McGehee also suggested more information from the 31 Commission on how the City could help residents having considerable issues with 32 deer devouring their plantings, since the issue seemed to be less about vehicles 33 and accidents and more about eating shrubs or plantings. Councilmember 34 McGehee suggested some type of herd management option with less deadly 35 results. 36 37 Councilmember Etten expressed his interest in hearing a variety of methods; and 38 stated he could support bow and arrow hunting as that seemed to be a safe and 39 successful in other metropolitan communities, such as Little Canada. 40 Councilmember Etten also expressed interest in polling other municipalities to 41 hear results of their deer herd population control methods, both positive and 42 negative results. 43 44 Councilmember Laliberte spoke in support of determining the actions and results 45 of other metropolitan communities, and their current or ongoing programs.