Agenda Information Sheet
DEPARTMENT: Environmental Services & Sustainability
CM/ ACM: Howard Martin
Date: July 26, 2016
SUBJECT
Title
Consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas amending the provisions of Chapter 6 "Animals" of the Code of Ordinances by adding a definition for enclosure to section 6-2, by changing by the time period for filing a dangerous animal case in section 6-34 to 30 days, by removing section 6-34(d), and by adding section 6-49 to add provisions to allow the keeping of bees within the city limits of Denton with certain restrictions; providing for a severability clause; providing for a savings clause; providing for a penalty not to exceed $500 for violations of this ordinance; and providing an effective date.
Body
BACKGROUND
In conjunction with the application to become a Bee City, USA affiliate, Sustainable Denton has been working closely with the Denton County Beekeeper Association and City of Denton Animal Services, to draft a Beekeeping Ordinance to address beekeeping within the city limits.
The draft ordinance language was modeled after existing municipal beekeeping ordinances in north Texas. Officers of the Denton County Beekeeper Association worked closely with Sustainable Denton to ensure that the draft ordinance is beneficial to and protective of both bees and citizenry. A companion resolution designating the City of Denton as a Bee City USA is presented for consideration.
Two situations in the last year have brought to our attention the need to amend the animal control ordinance. The first situation involved a citizen's dog wandering into an unfenced area and getting attacked and killed by another dog. The problem was that the owner of the attacking dog had an "invisible fence." These "invisible fences" work by delivering a shock to a dog if it attempts to leave the "invisible fence" area if it is wearing the appropriate collar. The problem with these "invisible fences" is that there are no visibl...
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