Title
Discussion regarding the management of the Deer Population in Rochester Hills
Body
Resolved, that City Council receives the report and directs the Administration to draft individual implementation plans within thirty days for the following six items listed in the report:
1. Enact a citywide wildlife feeding ban ordinance to eliminate feeding stations for deer. This could deter deer from grazing on neighborhood vegetation on their way to these feeding stations and reduce the supplemental food supply that encourages population increases.
2. Provide an increased educational component on fencing options and repellants for homeowners to help them protect their property from deer damage. This could include packets of information, website information, programs at the Environmental Educational Center (EEC) or at homeowner association meetings, newspaper articles, etc.
3. Make improvements to the city's signage warning motorists of deer crossing areas that could potentially reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
4. Impose a three-year moratorium beginning October 1, 2008, on our bow-hunting ordinance and follow the MDNR guidelines for private property only. This could be used on a trial basis to determine its effectiveness. No hunting would be allowed on city property.
5. Continue to conduct a yearly flyover to count the deer population and evaluate the effectiveness of the programs.
6. Continue to monitor the deer-vehicle collisions in our community by using data from SEMCOG.