The next City Council meeting will take place on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. In preparation, here’s a preview of what the City Council will hear. As always, you may view the full agenda here.

City Council to hear Coyote Management Plan

Given the recent uptick in coyote sightings, the City Council will be reviewing the City’s existing Coyote Management Plan with the goal of incorporating community feedback.

As the area has become urbanized, wildlife – like coyotes, raccoons and skunks – have found their way in the community. With many concerned about coyotes, the City has developed ways to mitigate coyote interactions, with the ultimate goal of coexisting with coyotes. These methods were developed into a plan two years ago with guidance by the United States Humane Society. The plan addresses the most effective and humane way of ensuring the safety of humans as they coexist with coyotes in an urban environment.

The plan follows this approach:

• Public education about what residents can do to detract coyotes from roaming onto their property, and what they can do to mitigate coyote behavior
• Enforcement of laws and regulations, including enforcing California law prohibiting the feeding of wildlife. The plan also outlines the type of property upkeep that’s required in order to reduce the presence of coyotes
• Information about coyote encounters and how the City should respond. To summarize, the City will only trap coyotes as a last resort if they’re sick or outwardly hostile towards humans

You may read more about the Coyote Management Plan and what City staff are proposing here. A community page on the City’s website has also been prepared with additional information.