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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA006 - Email to Council on bow hunting in parks f 1a Steve Schainker/COA To Diane R Voss/COA@COA 10/10/2006 10:18 AM cc bcc Subject Fw: MANAGER ALERT-Bow Hunting in the City Parks ----- Forwarded by Steve Schainker/COA on 10/10/2006 10:18 AM----- Steve Schainker/COA 10/09/2006 05:22 PM To CITY COUNCIL cc Subject MANAGER ALERT-Bow Hunting in the City Parks Good Afternoon! As a grappled over the weekend with the input that City employees have received recently regarding our proposed bow hunting ordinance, I am fearful that this issue might turn out to be very contentious like our sidewalk issue. So, I thought I might offer you some thoughts and options in case some of you would like to consider some changes to our program. It is apparent from the feedback we have received that: 1) The majority of the complaints that we have received involve the Emma McCarthy Lee Park, not the park areas east of Duff Avenue. 2) Many of the citizens are upset that hunters will be in the parks all day, an hour before dawn and an hour after sunset. 3) Many citizens are concerned that hunting will begin while our recreation programs are in session until November. 4) When we applied the separation restrictions contained in the rules/ordinance if appears that there are only two small areas in McCarthy Lee Park, no areas in Inis Grove Park, one area in East River Valley Park. There are larger areas that would qualify for hunting in Squaw Creek Park and Moore Memorial Park. If you believe modifications are in order, here are some options, any or all of which could be approved: 1) Not include Emma McCarthy Lee Park as an authorized Deer Population Management Zone. 2) Restrict hunting during limited hours around dawn and sunset. Perhaps 6 a.m. to 9 a,m, and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 3)Allow hunting to begin after November when the City's recreation programs will be over in the park. I believe only one permit has been issued as of today. We might have to allow this one hunter to retain his permit. 4) If the amount of area available due to our current separation requirements (stands must be located 85 feet from any roads, trail, or activity site and at least 200 feet from any residence or building.) is inadequate to allow hunters to thin out the herds, we could close off the total East River Valley area at the Carr Bridge and expand the management zone to include the entire 150 acres during restricted hours as prescribed in Item 3. Regardless of what changes are made, I am sure that there will still be many of our citizens who won't agree that we should ever allow hunting in our parks. Steve "Jim Popken" To "Steve Schainker"<sschainker@city.ames.ia.us> <jimpopken@gmail.com> cc "Ann Campbell"<Bobanncamp@aol.com>,"Craig Buske" 10/10/2006 10:32 AM <craigbus@iastate.edu>, "Matthew Goodman" bcc <matthewgoodman@mchsi.com>, "Mike Hamilton" Subject September 19th change of rules for the deer ordinance Steve I had sent a email last night explaining to Wolfgang and Alicia that the council could not change any deer hunting rules at tonights meeting do to open meetings law. The council could however ask the staff to prepare the text for approval at a later meeting when it was on the agenda. Wolfgang and Alicia have now pointed out to me that on Sept 19th the council made a change in the rules for deer hunting when such action was not on the agenda and that the current rules have been updated with these changes. Is the true? Did a forget about voting on them when these issues where on the agenda at a following meeting? When I voted on the rule changes during council comments on the Sept 19th I did so under the assumption that staff would generate the proper text changes and the council would see it on a later agenda for approval. On Sept 20th or 21 st I was asked by Lauris Olson (1me065.com) about the change of rules and open meetings. She was not at the council meeting and would have liked to have covered the rule change had she know it was on the agenda(the tribune did a front page have a story on it). I then assured her that the rule change would be coming back to council for final approval (on a public agenda) and that we did not make any changes on the 19th but just directed staff to start the process. I believe this may be a violation of the open meetings law. How do we fix or address this problem? Jim 920 Clark Avenue Ames, Iowa 50010 515 233-0855 (work) how soon the Council wants the data. Staff felt that it might be best for the survey to be sent in January,which would request data back to August 2006. If,after the focus groups,it is felt that this time frame would not yield the best response, staff will advise the City Council. Council Member Goodman advised that it is most crucial for the information received from the survey to be accurate. Moved by Mahayni, seconded by Doll, to approve the 2006 Rental Housing Survey, with the additions above-noted, and authorize the allocation of up to $5,000 from the Contingency Account to pay for assistance with the survey design. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. COMMENTS: Council Member Rice advised that he had read the "Bow Hunting Code," in a hunting magazine provided by Travis Smith of the Izaak Walton League. He would like to amend the Deer Management Rules to require that any game be covered when removing it from the site. Moved by Rice, seconded by Goodman, to add a requirement to the Deer Management Rules that the game be covered when transported. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Moved by Goodman, seconded by Mahayni, to direct the staff to research the possibility of amending the Deer Management Rules, and subsequently amend if there are no issues, as follows: 1. Require some signage to be placed in affected parks. 2. Change Rule No. 3 pertaining to tree stands to make the requirement 85 feet from the road. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Doll, seconded by Goodman, to adjourn the meeting at 9:03 p.m. Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor 5 Loras A Jaeger/COA To Steve Schainker/COA@COA 10/11/2006 11:55 AM cc Diane R Voss/COA@COA bcc Subject Deer Counts If I understand the issue that was presented at the council meeting, it involved deer numbers, especially in Segment 8, which includes McCarthy Lee Park and Munn Woods. The aerial deer count showed 34 deer in that .57 of a mile area. DNR breaks that down to a density of 59.6 deer per square mile. In the overall aerial survey that was conducted in and around Ames, it covered 6.83 square miles and 285 deer were counted. That would break down to 41.7 deer per square mile. A common goal is to be at an average of 30 deer per square mile. So that 34 deer in segment 8 is considerably higher than DNR sets for a common goal.