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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13p - San Gabriel Valley Council of Government's Coyote ProgramSGVCOG Regional Coyote Management Plan June 15, 2021 Page 1 of 6 DATE: June 15, 2021 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager By: Laena Shakarian, Management Analyst SUBJECT: RENEWAL OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT’S NEIGHBORHOOD COYOTE PROGRAM FOR A TWO-YEAR PERIOD Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY Since 2019, the City of Arcadia has participated in the coyote management program offered by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (“SGVCOG”). Participation in this comprehensive and integrated regional approach to coyote management has provided benefits to the City in terms of reduced staff time and better education of residents. The regional program has proven to be successful in not only addressing coyote concerns expressed by residents, but also informing and empowering residents on how to address coyote concerns in their neighborhoods. The initial two-year period is set to expire in November 2021 and the SGVCOG is reaching out to participating cities to see if they would like to continue with the program. The cost would be the same $10,000 annual contribution that it has been for the prior two years. Based on the quality and value of the services provided, it is recommended the City Council approve, and authorize and direct the City Manager to execute, a renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding for continued participation in the San Gabriel Valley Council of Government’s Neighborhood Coyote Program for a two-year period. BACKGROUND Recognizing that coyote management is becoming more of a regional issue, the City of Arcadia partnered with the SGVCOG and other neighboring cities to form a Coyote Management Task Force to address ongoing coyote concerns in the San Gabriel Valley. As a result of the regional collaboration, the Regional Coyote Management SGVCOG Regional Coyote Management Plan June 15, 2021 Page 2 of 6 Framework (“RCMF”) (Attachment 1) and the Coyote Management Implementation Plan (“CMIP”) (Attachment 2) were developed to address coyote management as a region. On October 15, 2019, the City Council voted to execute a Memorandum of Understanding for participation in the san Gabriel Valley Council of Government’s Neighborhood Coyote Program (“Program”). The Neighborhood Coyote Program publicly launched on January 27, 2020. Since then, the Neighborhood Coyote Program has provided guidance to residents, businesses, and City staff on best practices to discourage the habituation of coyotes in Arcadia. The initial two-year period is set to expire in November 2021 and the SGVCOG is in the process of engaging cities in their renewal process. DISCUSSION The Neighborhood Coyote Program serves as an avenue to respond, educate, and report coyote interactions as well as safety issues caused by coyotes within the San Gabriel Valley. The Neighborhood Coyote Program provides various methods to report coyote encounters as well as tips to promote coyote safety. The SGVCOG has continually used the plan’s multi-focused approach to wildlife management consisting of public outreach and education, non-urgent conflict response, and regional representation and engagement. Public Outreach and Education Coyote awareness education continues to be a key factor of residents making informed decisions regarding the safety of their family, pets, and property. The SGVCOG’s ongoing coyote awareness public information campaign continually reminds residents of ways to decrease attractants, modify coyote behavior through hazing, and create reasonable expectations of normal coyote behavior. The Neighborhood Coyote Program provides the following services: hotline access, reporting tools, referrals to resources, pet safety planning, crisis intervention, and workshops and training. Throughout the City’s participation in the Program, the SGVOCG disseminated information and resources to Arcadia residents, businesses, local community organizations, and schools through various channels. The SGVCOG provided the following public outreach and education services for the City of Arcadia and other member cities under this implementation plan: Town Hall and Community Meetings: The SGVCOG partnered with participating cities and external stakeholders to host town halls and community meetings. On April 22, 2020, the SGVCOG shared the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA’s Coyote Safety Live Webinar. The webinar was very informative and included 228 live attendees and 384 total registrants. On May 19, 2020, the Neighborhood Coyote Program hosted their first live Coyote Safety Webinar with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The webinar garnered the interest of SGVCOG Regional Coyote Management Plan June 15, 2021 Page 3 of 6 62 total registrants, 30 viewers/users, and 15 YouTube viewers via the YouTube live stream. Additionally, on September 10, 2020, the Neighborhood Coyote Program held the City of Arcadia Coyote Safety Town Hall. Representatives from the City, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Arcadia Unified School District, and the Neighborhood Coyote Program answered questions about coyote safety and ecology. 12 registered residents attended the town hall and the YouTube livestream reached 20 views. The most recent virtual Coyote Safety Town Hall took place on May 27, 2021. A presentation on SGVCOG’s Neighborhood Coyote Program was provided and representatives from the Pasadena Humane Society and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife served on a panel to answer residents’ questions. In total, 5 registered residents attended the town hall and the YouTube livestream reached 15 views. Coyote Management Workshop and Conflict Training: The SGVOG partnered with stakeholders to host coyote management workshops for local community groups, homeowner associations, chambers of commerce, schools, and other organizations. These workshops included basic training on how to reduce/eliminate potential human-coyote conflicts, and appropriate conflict management techniques. In addition, the SGVOCG provided the Wildlife Watch Training for residents from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, these activities have been limited. Youth Outreach and Education Programs: The SGVCOG developed a youth outreach and education program to distribute age- appropriate coyote education and safety information to local schools, youth groups, youth organizations, and family/youth events in participating cities. As part of this effort, coloring books were designed and provided to schools which promote coyote safety education. Mailers and Social Media Outreach: The SGVCOG mailed educational flyers and brochures to residents in Arcadia with a high number of reports of human-coyote incidents. Additionally, the SGVCOG disseminated coyote information through its existing social media platforms which includes the Neighborhood Coyote Program Facebook page, Nextdoor, and Twitter. Additionally, the Neighborhood Coyote Program hosted a Twitter chat with participation from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pasadena Humane Society, San Gabriel Valley Humane Society, Project Coyote, and other agencies. The Twitter chat was successful and grossed over 390,000 impressions on Twitter. Website and Coyote Incident Reporting System: The SGVCOG developed and maintained a website that includes coyote education, related resources, and a Coyote Incident Reporting System for residents of participating cities. Residents experiencing a coyote issue should visit www.SGVCOG.org/coyotes to report coyote activity. SGVCOG Regional Coyote Management Plan June 15, 2021 Page 4 of 6 Coyote Reporting Hotline: A regional coyote reporting hotline was established for the residents of participating cities to report coyote incidents and/or encounters in their communities. All reported coyote encounters and sightings have been logged by the SGVCOG and shared with the participating cities and external stakeholders. Residents can call (626) 278-8039 to report coyote activity. Non-Urgent Conflict Response Based on the five-tier coyote response system, the SGVCOG is responsible for providing responses to residents that report coyote incidents and encounters. The SGVCOG has completed a full-year of coyote reporting and the data suggests that public outreach and coyote hazing have proven to be effective at discouraging coyotes from residential neighborhoods in Arcadia. In Fiscal Year 2018-19, the City received 300 calls or emails regarding coyotes in Arcadia neighborhoods from residents compared to the 120 reports received by the SGVCOG in Fiscal Year 2019-20. This includes data during the Stay At Home Order period when it was reasonably expected that coyote sightings would have increased. Overall, the number of coyote reports has steadily decreased year over year since the implementation of the Neighborhood Coyote Program. As shown below, there are 80 Level 1 reports (Green), 32 Level 2 reports (Yellow), 8 Level 3 reports (Orange), and 0 Level 4 reports on a four level scale. Furthermore, 93% of the total coyote reports fall within a Level 1 (Green) and Level 2 (Yellow) activity, which is considered normal coyote behavior. This includes coyote behavior that demonstrates the following: 115 62 52 71 16 45 37 22 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Number of Reports by Quarter (FY 18-19 vs. 19-20) FY 18-19 FY 19-20 SGVCOG Regional Coyote Management Plan June 15, 2021 Page 5 of 6 • Coyotes being seen, heard, resting, or moving through a public area (Level 1) • Coyotes resting in public areas with people present, or entering a yard with or without pets present (Level 2) In addition, 6% of the total coyote reports fall within a Level 3 (Orange) activity, and no Level 4 (Red) reports were received. Level 3 coyote behavior demonstrates the following: • Coyotes following or approaching a person and pet (Level 3) • Coyotes entering a yard and attacking an attended or unattended pet (Level 3) Level 4 coyote behavior is exceptionally aggressive towards humans. The SGVCOG has received no calls or reports that suggest this is occurring. Further, the small number of Level 3 reports suggests that coyote hazing and public information techniques are working to prevent the loss of pets. Regional Representation and Engagement The SGVCOG has served as a regional voice for participating cities to external stakeholders. This includes communicating with the following entities on regional coyote efforts: • California Department of Fish and Wildlife • Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures • Local Humane Society Organizations • University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources • Local and state elected officials • Other relevant stakeholders 12 35 18 15 2 6 19 5 2 4 0 2 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 SGVCOG Regional Coyote Management Plan June 15, 2021 Page 6 of 6 These partnerships provide program participating cities with the latest information on coyote mitigation strategies, as well as leveraging community based resources when issues arise. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding for continued participation in the SGVCOG’s Neighborhood Coyote Program is exempt from environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) (“CEQA”). Specifically, State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.) Sections 15306, 15307, 15308 and 15061(b)(3) apply to the City Council’s action. FISCAL IMPACT The cost of continued participation in the SGVCOG’s Neighborhood Coyote Program is $10,000 per year, with a two-year commitment. Sufficient funding is available in the proposed Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget for continued participation in the regional plan. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and approve, and authorize and direct the City Manager to execute a renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding for continued participation in the San Gabriel Valley Council of Government’s Neighborhood Coyote Program for a two-year period. Attachment No. 1: SGVCOG Regional Coyote Management Framework Attachment No. 2: SGVCOG Coyote Management Implementation Plan Attachment No. 3: Memorandum of Understanding Regional Coyote Management Framework (RCMF) SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS CONTACT INFORMATION: Alexander Fung, Management Analyst afung@sgvcog.org Navneet Kaur, Management Analyst nkaur@sgvcog.org ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments owes a debt of gratitude to the many agencies, entities, experts, and individuals who helped transform this project from an idea to a reality. We appreciate all of the support we have received from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the County of Los Angeles, the Office of Assemblymember Ed Chau, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society, the Pasadena Humane Society, and the Inland Valley Humane Society, as well as the generous support from the Cities of Arcadia, Bradbury, Covina, Rosemead, and San Marino. Furthermore, we would like to thank the following municipalities for serving on the SGVCOG Coyote Management Task Force and providing feedback on the development of this document: City of Alhambra City of Arcadia City of Bradbury City of Covina City of Diamond Bar City of Industry City of Irwindale City of La Cañada Flintridge City of Monrovia City of Monterey Park City of Rosemead City of San Dimas City of San Gabriel City of San Marino City of South El Monte City of South Pasadena City of Temple City City of Walnut County of Los Angeles State of California SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION The goal of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Coyote Management Framework (RCMF) is to discourage the habituation of coyotes in an urban environment by using education, behavior modification, and a robust human/coyote reporting and responding system. The recommended actions in this RCMF are designed to increase communities’ knowledge and understanding of how coyotes behave and to make clear how such behavior can be managed or reduced to eliminate human conflicts with coyotes. The ultimate goal of coyote behavior modification is to encourage the natural relocation of coyotes to their native environment. The overall intent of this framework is to provide guidance for dealing with coyotes in the San Gabriel Valley region. This framework has also been modeled after plans that were successfully utilized by other municipalities in Southern California. This RCMF does not supersede federal, state, county, and city regulations and policies. Additionally, this framework does not apply to San Gabriel Valley residents, businesses, or homeowner associations in pursuit of their legal rights in dealing with coyotes. As recommended by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the RCMF is guided by the following principles: ● Human safety is a priority in managing human-coyote interactions. ● Coyotes serve an important role in San Gabriel Valley’s ecosystems by helping to control rodent populations. ● Preventive practices are crucial to minimizing potential interactions and encounters with coyotes. ● Solutions for coyote conflicts must address both problematic coyote behaviors and the human behaviors that invite them. ● Non-selective coyote removal programs are ineffective for reducing coyote population sizes or preventing human-coyote conflicts in the long run. ● Regionwide programs that involve residents can improve coexistence among humans, coyotes, and pets. SECTION 2: COYOTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY The strategy for managing coyotes is based on balancing respect and protection of wildlife without compromising public safety. The main strategy is a multi-focused approach consisting of public education, enforcement, and reporting. PUBLIC EDUCATION Coyote awareness education is critical for residents to make informed decisions regarding their safety, properties, and pets by decreasing attractants, reshaping coyote behavior, and creating reasonable expectations of normal coyote behavior. Dissemination of information to residents, businesses, and schools will be accomplished through the use of the cities’ websites, newsletters, social media, press releases, town halls, community meetings, coyote management workshops, and other direct and indirect public outreach campaigns. Learning how to properly and effectively respond to a coyote encounter empowers residents and supports reshaping undesired coyote behavior. The public should understand what normal coyote behavior is when living in close proximity with coyotes. For example, vocalization (coyote calls) is a normal and acceptable behavior that does not indicate aggression. It is recommended for cities and member agencies to host town hall meetings, trainings, and provide youth education workshops in communities with high human -coyote interactions. Cities are also encouraged to mail information regarding coyotes to educate the residents and households residing in areas with high coyote sightings. Mailers and social media postings should be offered in English and other languages that are widely spoken by local residents. ENFORCEMENT The act of feeding wildlife is known to lead to an increase in wildlife activity. Feeding can attract coyotes and their prey to an area leading to an increased likelihood of creating habituated coyotes and resulting in increases in coyote-human interactions. California law prohibits feeding wildlife, including coyotes. SGVCOG recommends all member agencies to strictly enforce the State law pertaining to this activity. Cities and counties should adopt ordinances that discourage the intentional or unintentional feeding of wildlife. Please see Appendix A for the draft of a sample ordinance from the City of Davis, California. REPORTING A five-tier safety response plan has been developed by the SGVCOG to provide a mechanism for identifying and classifying different levels of human-coyote interactions for member agencies. This response plan serves as a regional approach to identify different types of coyote behaviors. However, cities are encouraged to adapt and adjust SGVCOG’s response plan or develop a plan that is more suitable to the individual cities’ needs; however, levels of coyote behavior and response actions should be consistent with SGVCOG’s response plan. It is also important to note that several SGVCOG member agencies already have their own response plans in place. For the cities’ reference, Appendix B showcases a list of SGVCOG’s member agencies with adopted coyote management plans. Additionally, Appendix C showcases the SGVCOG’s five-tier response system, City of West Covina’s adopted four-tier colored response system, and City of San Gabriel’s adopted coyote behavior classification system. SECTION 3: COYOTE ATTRACTANTS While attacks on humans are extremely rare, urban landscape development, intentional and unintentional feeding, pet-related incidents, and media attention have led some residents to fear coyotes. It is important to note that attacks on free-roaming and unattended small pets are normal coyote behavior and do not necessarily indicate a danger for humans. Coyotes usually become habituated when they learn and associate people and/or neighborhoods with sources of food. Residents may reinforce this behavior by acting inappropriately when they see a coyote. Steps must be taken to address safety concerns and misconceptions and to ensure appropriate responses to potential threats to human safety. It is important to keep in mind that coyotes have been in and around the San Gabriel Valley and other parts of Southern California since thousands of years ago. Coyotes are drawn to urban and suburban areas for the following reasons: FOOD – Urban areas provide a bounty of natural food choices for coyotes that primarily eat rodents. However, coyotes can be further attracted into suburban neighborhoods by human-associated food, such as pet food, unsecured compost or trash, and fallen fruit in parks and yards. Intentional and unintentional feeding can lead coyotes to associate humans with sources of food, which can result in negative and aggressive interactions among coyotes, people, and pets. To reduce food attractants in urban and suburban area, residents should be educated to: ● Never hand-feed or otherwise deliberately feed a coyote. ● Avoid feeding pets outside and remove sources of pet food and water in outdoor settings. If feeding pets outside is necessary, remove the feeding bowl and any leftover food promptly. ● Never compost any meat or dairy products unless the compost is fully secured. ● Maintain good housekeeping, such as regularly raking areas around bird feeders, to help discourage coyote activity near residences. ● Remove fallen fruit from the ground. ● Keep trash in high-quality containers with tight-fitting lids. ● Only place trash bins curbside during the morning of trash collection. If left out overnight, trash bins are more likely to be tipped over and broken into by coyotes. If necessary, purchase secured trash containers. ● Seal food waste, such as meat scraps or leftover pet food, before discarding the waste into trash bins. WATER – Urban areas provide a year-round supply of water in the form of stormwater impoundments and channels, artificial lakes, irrigation, swimming pools, and pet water dishes, which support both coyotes and their prey. In dry conditions, water can be as alluring as food. Residents should remove outdoor water bowls/cans and secure fountains, pools, and jacuzzis. SHELTER – Parks, greenbelts, open spaces, sumps, golf courses, buildings, sheds, decks, and crawl spaces increase the amount and variability of cover for coyotes. They allow coyotes to safely and easily remain close to residents, pets, homes, and businesses without detection. Coyotes may take advantage of available spaces under sheds or decks for use as a den, thereby bringing them into close contact with residents and pets. UNATTENDED PETS – Coyotes primarily eat small mammals, such as mice and rats; however, they will also prey on slightly larger mammals such as rabbits and groundhogs. Animals that are approximately the same size as a groundhog or rabbit, especially unattended outdoor cats and small dogs, ma y attract coyotes into neighborhoods. ● The best way to minimize risk to pets from coyotes (and the other dangers of outdoor life such as cars, disease, and other wildlife) is to keep small pets indoors, only let them outside in a secured enclosure, or when they are accompanied by a person and under the control of a leash and harness that is less than six feet long. ● It is important to either keep dogs on a leash that is six feet long or shorter when outdoors or to stay within six feet of them when outside. Coyotes may view a dog on a leash longer than six feet as an unattended pet. Attacks on free-roaming small cats or dogs are normal coyote behavior and do not indicate a danger for humans. A free-roaming pet is considered as an unattended domestic pet outside of its enclosed yard or area. ● Although attacks on larger dogs are rare, coyotes may often attack a large dog when they feel that their territory is threatened. This generally occurs during the coyote breeding season, which takes place from January through March. During this time, it is especially important to not leave dogs outside unattended and to keep them on leashes (six feet long or less) when in public areas. FERAL CATS – While residents who feed feral cats are often concerned that coyotes might pr ey on the cats, the act of feeding feral cats may cause more harm than good, as coyotes often frequent these locations. Resident should not feed feral cats to avoid attracting coyotes into their neighborhoods. Although it can be difficult for residents to protect feral cats from coyotes, the following tips can be helpful: ● Do not feed feral cats. ● If feral cats frequent your neighborhood, please contact your local Animal Services agency. ● Haze coyotes seen near feral cat locations. Making coyotes feel uncomfortable will encourage them to stay out of the area. See Appendix D for a list of effective hazing strategies. Other domestic animals kept outside, such as rabbits and chickens, may also be viewed as prey by coyotes. Protect outdoor animals from coyotes and other predators with protective fencing and sturdy cages. Residents are encouraged to use the Yard Audit Checklist (Appendix E) as a tool to help recognize and remove attractants in their yards and neighborhoods SECTION 4: HAZING AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE Some coyotes have become too comfortable in the close proximity of residents. To safely coexist, residents must modify their behavior to shape coyote behavior. Habituated coyote behavior needs to be reshaped to encourage coyotes to avoid contact with residents and pets. Hazing, also known as “fear conditioning” or “scaring,” is the process that facilitates this change and is, by necessity, a community response to negative encounters with coyotes. The more an individual animal is hazed, the more effective hazing is in changing coyote behavior. Hazing employs immediate use of deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourage an undesirable behavior or activity. Deterrents include loud noises, spraying water, bright lights, throwing objects, waving arms, and shouting. Hazing can help maintain a coyote’s fear of humans and discourage them from neighborhoods, such as backyards and play areas. Hazing is not intended to harm or damage animals, humans or property, but to change the coyote’s behavior. A coyote, similar to a dog, will not know that the behavior it is engaging in is unwanted unless some type of message is sent and reinforced repeatedly. Behavioral change also involves human activities such as identifying and removing attractants and protecting pets responsibly. If a human sees a coyote in an urban area and does not respond in any way, a message opposite of hazing is conveyed to the coyote. Please see Appendix D for a list of effective hazing strategies. GOALS OF HAZING It is not economically and ecologically efficient to eradicate coyotes from the urban ecosystem. Hazing is part of a long-term plan to create safe and acceptable living situations, increase understanding of coyote behavior and reduce conflict between coyotes and people. Goals of hazing include: 1. To reshape coyote behavior to avoid human contact in an urban setting. Human behavior can shape animal behavior, in either a negative or positive manner. People living in close proximity to coyotes can remove coyote attractants, identify potentially dangerous situations for their pets and themselves, and respond in a manner designed to change coyote behavior. 2. To provide residents information and tools to actively engage in reshaping coyote behavior and to support feeling safe in their parks and neighborhoods. This can be accomplished by teaching residents effective and appropriate hazing techniques. 3. To model hazing behavior and share accurate information about coyotes among other residents, friends, and family. 4. Monitor hazing to assess its effectiveness and determine if further action or more aggressive hazing is needed. 5. Develop long-term community-based hazing programs. TRAINING PROGRAM SGVCOG encourages member agencies to partner with experts from CDFW, local Humane Society and/or Animal Services organizations, the County of Los Angeles, and/or other relevant external stakeholders to empower residents with methods to safely co-exist with wildlife. Specific to human- coyote conflicts, the workshops should include basic training on species-specific ecology and behavior, strategies to reduce/eliminate potential human-coyote conflicts, and appropriate conflict and management techniques (e.g. hazing). Topics may include:  Basic coyote information;  Normal/healthy vs. abnormal/unhealthy coyote behavior;  Seasonal behavior changes;  Appropriate responses when encountering wildlife, especially coyotes;  Human health, public, and pet safety tips and concerns;  Coyote attractants;  Methods to reduce/eliminate access to attractants (e.g. exclusion, deterrence); or,  Effective coyote hazing methods. Additionally, Cities and counties should also promote CDFW’s Wildlife Watch Program. This program is a multi-agency partnership initiative that provides support and training to local governments and community groups to help them design and implement their own nuisance wildlife action plans. More information regarding the Wildlife Watch Program can be found on https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/wildlife- watch. Individuals and groups that are interested in participating in a hazing training program can contact their local Humane Society for a list of upcoming sessions:  Pasadena Humane Society: (626) 792-7151  Inland Valley Humane Society: (909) 623-9777  San Gabriel Valley Humane Society: (626) 286-1159 SECTION 5: ENFORCEMENT The act of feeding wildlife can attract coyotes and their prey to an area, leading to an increased likelihood of creating habituated coyotes and increased coyote-human interactions. California law prohibits feeding wildlife and local police departments will strictly enforce applicable state statutes pertaining to this activity. Cities and counties are encouraged to adopt ordinances that further discourage residents from feeding wildlife. Please see Appendix A for a sample draft ordinance from the City of Davis, California. The following are some of the applicable regulations that may be utilized as enforcement tools to discourage coyotes from proliferating in urbanized San Gabriel Valley: CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS TITLE 14. SECTION 251.1. HARASSMENT OF ANIMALS Except as otherwise authorized in these regulations or in the Fish and Game Code, no person shall harass, herd, or drive any game nongame bird or mammal or furbearing mammal. For the purposes of this section, harass is defined as an intentional act which disrupts an animal’s normal behavior patterns, which includes, but is not limited to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering. LOS ANGELES COUNTY CODE TITLE 10. SECTION 10.84.010. PROVIDING FOOD FOR CERTAIN RODENTS OR PREDATOR ANIMALS PROHIBITED It is unlawful to feed a nondomesticated rodent or nondomesticated mammalian predator as defined in this section, unless:  The person is the owner of the animal and the animal is kept in accordance with the requirements of the State Department of Fish and Wildlife; or  After notifying the responsible agency to pick up the animal, the person provides food to a trapped or injured animal. For purposes of this chapter: 1. "Rodent" includes ground squirrels; 2. "Mammalian predators" include coyotes, raccoons, foxes, and opossums. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor. SECTION 6: SAFETY RESPONSE PLAN A tiered response plan identifies and classifies levels of human and coyote interactions. SGVCOG recommends member agencies to adopt the 5-tier coyote response plan that is showcased below and in Appendix C. COYOTE BEHAVIOR RESPONSE LEVEL RESPONSES Coyote heard or seen moving in public area 1 Sighting report will be reviewed, and if appropriate, a response will be provided by e-mail or phone. The City would direct residents to available resources on normal coyote behavior. Coyote seen resting in public area 1 Sighting report will be reviewed, and if appropriate, a response will be provided by e-mail or phone. The City would direct residents to available resources on normal coyote behavior. Coyote seen resting in public area with humans present 2 The City provides resources for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques and what-to-do tips. Additionally, the City would encourage the respective municipality to work with the local community to eliminate coyote attractants. Coyote entering a yard to a home with or without pets present 2 The City provides information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard audit implementation, human-coyote conflict mitigation, hazing techniques, and/or pet safety information (if applicable). Coyote entering a yard and injuring or killing attended or unattended pet 3 The City gathers information on specific animal involved, report on circumstances, and provide information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard and neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Coyote biting or injuring an unattended pet/pet on a leash 3 The City gathers information on specific animal involved, report on circumstances, and provide information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard and neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Coyote following or approaching a person and pet (stalking) 3 The City provides information for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques, what-to-do tips, yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Additionally, the City will work with the residents to eliminate coyote attractants in the area. Coyote following or approaching a person without a pet (stalking) 4 The City provides information for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques, what-to-do tips, yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safely information. Additionally, the City will work with residents and local groups to eliminate coyote attractants in the area. Coyote biting or injuring a human 5 The City informs the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Residents will receive educational materials on coyote attractants, yard or neighborhood audits, hazing, and pet safety. Additionally, the City would work with the respective Humane Society, the County of Los Angeles, CDFW, elected officials, and its neighboring cities to send out mailers, partner with external stakeholders to host trainings and workshops, conduct a community meeting/town hall, and encourage the cities in the subregion to work with community groups to eliminate coyote attractants. Cities are encouraged to modify SGVCOG’s response plan to cater to the needs of their own communities; however, the levels of coyote behavior and response actions should be consistent with SGVCOG’s response plan. Appendix C also showcases two other types of tiered response plans that SGVCOG member agencies utilize in their individual coyote management plans as a reference. If a human is attacked and physically injured by a coyote, cities and counties will work with the CDFW, which will be the lead investigating agency to thoroughly investigate the incident, to identify and remove the responsible coyote. As a last resort, lethal removal will also be considered if there is a public safety issue with a coyote threatening residents—only after a thorough investigation and identification of the offending coyote. If there is an immediate public safety issue, such as a coyote threatening residents in an area frequented by people, the local police department will respond. Since coyotes are considered as “non-game wildlife,” any resident or homeowners’ association can, at their own expense, initiate action to protect themselves and their private property from coyote attacks within the limits of the law regarding trapping and hunting. SECTION 7: COYOTE REPORTING SGVCOG encourages residents to report coyote sightings to the University of California Coyote Cacher© at https://ucanr.edu/sites/CoyoteCacher/. This will allow SGVCOG and its member agencies to identify potential trouble areas where coyotes are frequently sighted and allow the member agencies to focus resources where they are needed most. There are several options to choose from and San Gabriel Valley residents are encouraged to use the tool that works best for them. Please keep in mind that these are only coyote reporting tools. Depending on the submission format, residents may receive acknowledgement of their submissions. University of California Coyote Cacher© This tool is accessible by members of the public from a computer or mobile device. It provides a repository for reported coyote activity, real-time alerts to stay abreast of reported activities, and GIS mapping by zip code. Residents may view coyote encounters in the San Gabriel Valley region by visiting https://ucanr.edu/sites/CoyoteCacher/Story_Map/. Residents can also report a coyote encounter to the UC Coyote Cacher through the link on the website or by submitting a request at https://geodata.ucanr.edu/coyoteCacher/form/. State and Local Enforcement Agencies Coyote bites, injured or ill coyotes, or coyotes that pose a threat to the public should be reported to the 9 - 1-1 emergency line. Coyote bites can be extremely hazardous to human health. If a resident has been bitten by a coyote, please direct the injured resident to seek medical attention immediately. A police report may be taken to document the incident. All animal bites to humans are legally reportable in Los Angeles County except for rodent and rabbit bites. For more information, please visit the County of Los Angeles Public Health Department website at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/biteintro.htm. APPENDIX A: SAMPLE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE FEEDING OF WILDLIFE (City of Davis, California) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DAVIS ADDING ARTICLE 5.05 TO CHAPTER 5 OF THE DAVIS MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT THE FEEDING OF CERTAIN WILDLIFE WHEREAS, the City of Davis (“City”) is a city organized under the laws of the State of California, with a duty and interest in protecting the public health, safety and welfare within the City; and WHEREAS, the feeding of wildlife can lead to negative impacts on animals, people and the environment; and WHEREAS, feeding wildlife can lead to aggressive behavior towards humans, which presents health and safety concerns for residents and visitors of the City; and WHEREAS, feeding wildlife can artificially support the growth and carrying capacity of urban wildlife populations, compromising wildlife health and increasing human exposure to and conflict with wildlife; and WHEREAS, feeding wildlife can cause certain species to localize activity in the vicinity of the food source, thus increasing associated negative impacts on property owners and/ or individuals within those neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, Section 251.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations prohibits the harassment of any game or nongame bird or mammal or furbearing mammal, expressly including intentional acts such as feeding that disrupt the animal’s natural foraging behavior; and WHEREAS, an ordinance prohibiting the intentional and negligent feeding of certain types of wildlife, as defined, and further specifying types of permissible and prohibited conduct regarding interaction with wildlife in the City, is consistent with the City’s long -standing commitment to protect and conserve biological resources and public safety. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Davis does ordain as follows: SECTION 1. Recitals. The City Council hereby adopts the recitals of this Ordinance as true and correct and such recitals are hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth in the text of this Ordinance. SECTION 2. Amendment. Chapter 5 (“Animals and Fowl”) of the City of Davis Municipal Code is hereby amended to add Article 5.05, to read in full as set forth in the attached Exhibit “A”, incorporated by this reference. SECTION 3. CEQA. The City Council finds that this Ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15061(b)(3) (the activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in the physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. SECTION 4. Severability. If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase added by this Ordinance, or any part thereof, is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this Ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases are declared unconstitutional, invalid or ineffective. SECTION 5. Publishing. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same or a summary thereof to be published as required by law. SECTION 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect thirty (30) days from and after the date of its final passage and adoption. INTRODUCED on the ____ day of _____________________, 2018 and PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Davis on the ____ day of ______________, 2018 by the following vote: EXHIBIT “A” CHAPTER 5, ANIMALS AND FOWL ARTICLE 5.05, FEEDING OF CERTAIN WILDLIFE 5.05.010 Purpose Feeding of wildlife is both detrimental to wildlife health and causes a public health nuisance and safety hazard that negatively impacts public health and welfare. This article is intended to prohibit, with exceptions, the feeding of certain wildlife within the City of Davis so as to protect public and environmental health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for failure to comply. 5.05.020 Definitions For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply: “Feed” means to give, distribute, place, expose, deposit, or scatter any edible material with the intention of feeding, attracting, or enticing wildlife. Feeding does not include baiting in the permitted and legal take or depredation of wildlife in accordance with federal, state and local law. “Person” means any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or political subdivision of this State subject to municipal jurisdiction. “Wildlife” means only coyotes, wild turkeys, foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, ducks, geese, crows, and gulls. 5.05.030 Feeding of Wildlife Prohibited (a) No person shall purposely or knowingly feed wildlife in the City of Davis, on lands either publicly or privately owned. (b) No person shall leave or store any refuse, garbage, pet food, seed or bird seed, fruit, meat, dairy, vegetable, grain or other food in a negligent manner likely to feed wildlife. (c) No person shall fail to take remedial action to cease contact or conflict with wildlife, including to secure or remove outdoor refuse, cooking grills, pet food, backyard bird feeders or any other similar food source or attractant, after being advised by a Cit y of Davis code compliance administrator to undertake such remedial action. 5.05.040 Exceptions The prohibitions in Section 5.05.030 do not apply to: (a) Landscaping, gardening, and/or maintaining vegetable gardens, fruit and nut trees or other plants, so long as such activities are not conducted for the purpose of feeding wildlife as defined in this article. (b) Feeding of birds outdoors on private residential properties using bird feeders, to the extent authorized by law and subject to the following requirements: (1) Bird feeders shall be placed at least five (5) feet above the ground and shall be suspended on a cable or otherwise secured so as to prevent the bird feeders from being easily accessible to other wildlife. (2) The feeding shall not substantially interfere with the rights of surrounding property owners or render other persons insecure in the use of their property. (3) No person shall allow, permit or maintain an accumulation of feces on the property or surrounding properties so as to create a public nuisance. (4) The area below the feeders must be kept clean and free of seed. (5) No person shall knowingly allow or permit bird feeders to become an attractant for rodents or other wildlife other than birds. Notwithstanding this exception, feeding of wild turkeys is expressly prohibited. (c) Any State or local employee or agent authorized to implement a wildlife management program involving baiting, or any other person or business lawfully authorized to bait and trap wildlife pursuant to State law. (d) Any person who is the legal owner or guardian of a wildlife species maintained and confined under a valid license or permit issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and in compliance with all applicable la ws. (e) A wildlife rehabilitator, under a valid license or permit issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who is temporarily caring for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife in compliance with all applicable laws. (f) Any person who feeds trapped, injured, or orphaned wildlife between the times that a wildlife rehabilitator or agency charged with animal control is notified and the animal is picked up. Any person that discovers such trapped, injured, or orphaned wildlife must immediately notify an authorized animal control agency, and no person may intentionally keep such wildlife beyond the time reasonably necessary for animal control services to access and transport the wildlife. (g) Baiting, for the purpose of trapping, feral cats as part of a Yolo SPCA approved Trap- Neuter-Release program. (h) Any property owner baiting, for the purpose of trapping, wildlife on their property authorized by and in accordance with State law, including but not limited to trapping gophers, house mice, moles, rats, and voles pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 4005(f); taking of certain mammals found injuring crops or property pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 4152; taking of certain nongame birds and mammals such as weasels, skunks, opossum, moles and rodents pursuant to 14 CCR § 472; or as otherwise permitted and authorized by State law. 5.05.050 Enforcement In addition to all other available remedies at law, this article may be enforceable through the use of the administrative citation procedures set forth in Davis Municipal Code Chapter 1, Article 1.02. APPENDIX B: LIST OF SGVCOG MEMBER AGENCIES’ COYOTE MANAGEMENT PLANS  City of Arcadia: Coyote Management Plan o https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=10024  City of Montebello: Coyote Coexistence Plan o http://www.projectcoyote.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Montebello_Coexistence_Plan_lo_res.pdf  City of Rosemead: Coyote Management Plan o http://www.cityofrosemead.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_10034989/File/Gov/City%20Departments/Public% 20Safety/Animal%20Control/Coyote%20Information/Coyote.pdf  City of San Gabriel: Coyote Management Plan o http://www.sangabrielcity.com/DocumentCenter/View/7844/Coyote-Management-Plan?bidId=  City of West Covina: Coyote Management Plan o https://www.westcovina.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14526 APPENDIX C: COYOTE SAFETY RESPONSE PLAN TEMPLATES This showcases the SGVCOG’s recommended five-tier coyote response plan. As mentioned previously, cities are encouraged to modify SGVCOG’s response plan to cater to the needs of their own communities; however, the levels of coyote behavior and response actions should be consistent with SGVCOG’s response plan. COYOTE BEHAVIOR RESPONSE LEVEL RESPONSES Coyote heard or seen moving in public area 1 Sighting report will be reviewed, and if appropriate, a response will be provided by e-mail or phone. The City would direct residents to available resources on normal coyote behavior. Coyote seen resting in public area 1 Sighting report will be reviewed, and if appropriate, a response will be provided by e-mail or phone. The City would direct residents to available resources on normal coyote behavior. Coyote seen resting in public area with humans present 2 The City provides resources for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques and what-to-do tips. Additionally, the City would encourage the respective municipality to work with the local community to eliminate coyote attractants. Coyote entering a yard to a home with or without pets present 2 The City provides information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard audit implementation, human-coyote conflict mitigation, hazing techniques, and/or pet safety information (if applicable). Coyote entering a yard and injuring or killing attended or unattended pet 3 The City gathers information on specific animal involved, report on circumstances, and provide information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard and neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Coyote biting or injuring an unattended pet/pet on a leash 3 The City gathers information on specific animal involved, report on circumstances, and provide information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard and neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Coyote following or approaching a person and pet (stalking) 3 The City provides information for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques, what-to-do tips, yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Additionally, the City will work with the residents to eliminate coyote attractants in the area. Coyote following or approaching a person without a pet (stalking) 4 The City provides information for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques, what-to-do tips, yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safely information. Additionally, the City will work with residents and local groups to eliminate coyote attractants in the area. Coyote biting or injuring a human 5 The City informs the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Residents will receive educational materials on coyote attractants, yard or neighborhood audits, hazing, and pet safety. Additionally, the City would work with the respective Humane Society, the County of Los Angeles, CDFW, elected officials, and its neighboring cities to send out mailers, partner with external stakeholders to host trainings and workshops, conduct a community meeting/town hall, and encourage the cities in the subregion to work with community groups to eliminate coyote attractants. Other tiered coyote response systems that cities can consider are listed on the following pages as a reference. City of West Covina’s Four-tier Colored Coyote Response System City of San Gabriel’s Adopted Coyote Behavior Classification Response System APPENDIX D: EFFECTIVE COYOTE HAZING STRATEGIES Human behavior can shape animal behavior, in either a negative or positive manner. Residents living in close proximity to coyotes can remove coyote attractants, identify potentially dangerous situations for their pets and themselves, and respond in a manner designed to change coyote behavior. Successful hazing requires community involvement, understanding, and support. Residents should be equipped with tools and knowledge to respond consistently in their own neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces. Hazing should only take place in open spaces if residents are confirmed with an aggressive coyote. ● Hazing is a process whereby individuals make a coyote uncomfortable and choose to leave a situation where their presence is unwanted. ● Basic hazing consists of residents standing their ground, never ignoring or turning their backs to a coyote, and yelling and making unpleasant and frightening noises until the animal chooses to leave. ● More aggressive hazing consists of approaching an animal quickly and aggressively, waving arms, throwing projectiles in the direction of (but not at) the coyote, and spraying with a hose or water gun, all of which are used for creating fear of humans to encourage the animal to leave the vicinity. ● Once the act of hazing began, it must continue until the animal leaves the vicinity. Otherwise, the coyote will learn to wait until the person gives up. Not following through with hazing will create an animal more resistant to hazing instead of reinforcing the image that humans should be avoided. ● Hazing should never injure the animal. An injured animal becomes less predictable versus a normal, healthy one who responds in a consistent and predictable manner to hazing. ● Hazing should allow the coyote to return to its normal habitat in a direction that would minimize harm to the animal. Hazing the animal in the direction of other houses and busy streets should be avoided. ● Hazing uses a variety of different hazing tools. This is critical as coyotes can become accustomed to individual items and sounds. ○ Noisemaker: Voice, whistles, air horns, bells, “shaker” cans, pots, pie pans ○ Projectiles: Sticks, small rocks, cans, tennis balls, rubber balls ○ Deterrents: Hoses, spray bottles with vinegar, pepper spray, bear repellent, walking sticks A common concern with hazing involves potential danger to the hazer. A coyote’s basic nature is very skittish and the nature of the species is what makes this technique successful. A normal, healthy coyote will not escalate a situation with an aggressive person. Hazing is not successful with every species of wild animal because different types of animals have different traits. It is requested that residents submit a report to the local police department or city government each time they haze a coyote. Reports are most helpful when the following information is included: ● Date, location, time of day, number of coyotes ● Initial coyote behavior, hazing behavior, coyote response ● Effectiveness ratings – i.e. was the method used successful or not ● Tools and techniques used ● Additional details/comments GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR HAZING COYOTES: 1. Levels of hazing need to be appropriately relevant to the coyote activity. a. Coyotes are best left alone. Residents are encouraged to ignore coyotes if the coyotes ignore them. As with any wild animal, maintaining personal safety should be the primary goal. b. Coyotes are often out late at night when few humans are present. This is a normal and acceptable coyote behavior. Hazing may not be necessary in this situation. Exceptions: In early stages of hazing, programs should still engage animals. Coyotes that associate danger in the presence of humans under all circumstances will be reinforced to avoid contact. 2. Hazing must be more exaggerated, aggressive, and consistent when first beginning a program of hazing. As coyotes “learn” appropriate responses to hazing, it will take less effort from hazers. Early in the process, it is extremely common for coyotes not to respond to hazing techniques. Without a history of hazing, they do not have the relevant context to respond in the desired outcome, which is for them to leave the vicinity. 3. Techniques and tools can be used in the same manner for one or multiple coyotes. Usually there is a dominant coyote in a group who will respond - others will follow its lead. Residents should not ignore, turn their backs, or avoid hazing because there are multiple coyotes instead of a single individual coyote. 4. The more often an individual coyote is hazed by a variety of tools and techniques and a variety of residents, the more effective hazing will be in changing that animal’s future behavior. 5. Hazing must be directly associated with the person involved in the hazing actions. The coyote must be aware of where the potential threat is coming from and identifies the person. 6. Coyotes can and do recognize individual residents and animals in their territories. They can learn to avoid or harass specific individuals in response to behavior of the person and/or pet. 7. Coyotes can be routine in their habits. Identifying their normal habits can help target which habits to change. For example, the coyote patrols the same bike path at the same time in the morning three to five days a week. Hazers should concentrate on that time and place to encourage the animal to adapt its routine to decrease contact with residents. 8. Certain levels of hazing must always be maintained so that future generations of coyotes do not learn or return to unacceptable habits related to habituation to residents. 9. Human behavior must change to support hazing and continued identification and, if necessary, remove possible attractants. 10. Education about exclusion techniques including how to identify and remove attractants, personal responsibility in pet safety, and having reasonable expectations are critical parts of a coyote hazing plan. 11. Coyotes are skittish by nature. Habituated behavior is learned and reinforced by human behavior. As a rule, coyotes do not act aggressively towards aggressive people. The one exception is a sick or injured animal. Engaging a sick or injured animal can result in unpredictable behavior. If this is suspected, residents should not engage and instead remove themselves from the situation, then immediately contact the local police department. 12. Individuals involved in hazing need to be trained in explaining hazing to residents who witness the process. They also need to explain the difference between hazing and harassment of wildlife and goals of appropriate behavior for coexistence. APPENDIX E: YARD AUDIT CHECKLIST No Action Required Adjustments Required Recommended Action FOOD Never intentionally feed a coyote. Pet Food Never feed pets outdoors; store all pet food securely indoors. Water Sources Remove water attractants, such as pet water bowls. Bird Feeders Remove bird feeders or clean fallen seed to reduce the presence of small mammals that coyotes prefer to eat. Fallen Fruit Clean up fallen fruits around trees. Compost Do not include meat or dairy among compost contents unless the area is fully enclosed. BBQ Grills Clean up food around BBQ grills after each use. Trash Secure trash containers with locking lids and place curbside on pickup day. Periodically clean cans to reduce residual odors. LANDSCAPING Trim vegetation to reduce hiding places for rodents and coyotes and potential denning sites. STRUCTURES Restrict access under decks and sheds, around wood piles, or any other structure that can provide cover or denning sites for coyotes or their prey. FENCING* Enclose property with six-foot fence with additional extension or roller top to deter coyotes. Ensure that there are no gaps and that the bottom of the fence extends underground six inches or is fitted with a mesh apron to deter coyotes from digging underneath. *Must comply with local municipal code PETS Never leave pets unattended outside. Never allow pets to “play” with coyotes. Fully enclose outdoor pet kennels. Walk pets on a leash no longer than 6 feet in length. 352326('352*5$0 QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES: ALEXANDER FUNG, MANAGEMENT ANALYST afung@sgvcog.org NAVNEET KAUR, MANAGEMENT ANALYST nkaur@sgvcog.org &R\RWH0DQDJHPHQW Implementation Plan SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments &R\RWH0DQDJHPHQW Implementation Plan OVERVIEW Under this implementation plan, the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) would serve as the umbrella organization that is responsible for providing public outreach and education, promoting effective human-coyote conflict mitigation strategies, and supporting a robust wildlife reporting and response mechanism on behalf of participating cities. In this capacity, the SGVCOG would serve as a regional voice that communicates and partners with relevant stakeholders, such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures. For the purposes of this implementation plan, SGVCOG’s services will focus primarily on coyote management efforts in areas with reported high levels of human-coyote conflicts. This implementation plan includes three (3) types of regional coyote management services that the SGVCOG would provide for participating cities: 1. Public Outreach and Education 2. Non-Urgent Conflict Response 3. Regional Representation and Engagement PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION SERVICES The public outreach and education services outlined in this section will serve to assist participating cities in providing technical guidance and support to residents regarding human-coyote conflicts, with reported human-coyote conflicts having priority, around the San Gabriel Valley region. The SGVCOG would disseminate information and resources to participating cities’residents, businesses, local community organizations, and schools through various channels, including the development and distribution of digital and electronic files. The SGVCOG would provide the following public outreach and education services for participating cities under this implementation plan: Town Hall and Community Meetings The SGVCOG would partner with participating cities and external stakeholders, such as CDFW, the County of Los Angeles, elected officials, and/or the communities’ respective Humane Society organizations, to host town halls and community meetings.These events provide valuable opportunity for interested residents and stakeholders to learn about regional and community coyote management efforts. These community events serve as public forums for residents to express their concerns and engage with city staff and elected officials. These forums also serve as a space for the public to increase their knowledge, awareness, and understanding of coyote behavior and how to safely co-exist with coyotes. Based on the need and availability, these town hall and community meetings would be held around once a month in different areas of the San Gabriel Valley, especially in communities with high coyote sightings. Depending on the number of participating cities in the implementation plan, SGVCOG will determine the appropriate frequency of these meetings. Coyote Management Workshops and Conflicts Training The SGVCOG would partner with experts from the CDFW, local Humane Society and/or Animal Services organizations, the County of Los Angeles, and/or other relevant external stakeholders to empower residents with methods to safely co-exist with wildlife. Through these partnerships, coyote management workshops would be hosted for local community groups, homeowner associations, chambers of commerce, schools, and other organizations located in the participating cities’ boundaries. Specific to human-coyote conflicts, the workshops would include basic training on species-specific ecology and behavior, how to reduce/eliminate potential human-coyote conflicts, and appropriate conflict and management techniques (e.g. hazing). Topics may include: x Basic coyote information; x Normal/healthy vs. abnormal/unhealthy coyote behavior; x Seasonal behavior changes; x Appropriate responses when encountering wildlife, especially coyotes; x Human health, public, and pet safety tips and concerns; x Coyote attractants; x Methods to reduce/eliminate access to attractants (e.g. exclusion, deterrence);RU x Effective coyote hazing methods. Based on the request of participating cities, the SGVCOG may also provide trainings to staff, residents, and local groups in participating communities to learn how to conduct yard and/or neighborhood audits to identify and reduce or eliminate coyote attractants within the area. After an audit, trained individuals may provide recommendations and resources to assist the resident or local group to eliminate the attractants or access to an attractant. A report summary would be provided outlining any recommended actions. Trainings and workshops would be developed based on the data collected and analyzed from reported coyoteactivity in specific communities. These trainings and/or workshops may also be offered upon request and/or in response to specific coyote incidents. Depending on the number of participating cities in the implementation plan, SGVCOG will determine the appropriate frequency of these workshops and trainings. Youth Outreach and Education Programs The SGVCOG would develop a youth outreach and education program to distribute age-appropriate coyote education and safety information to local schools, youth groups, youth organizations, and family/youth events in participating cities. The outreach and education program would include distribution of coyote education kits and meetings with school officials to identify and discuss necessary human-coyote safety measures. Mailers and Social Media Outreach The SGVCOG would mail educational flyers to residents in communities with high reported incidence of human-coyote incidents. The San Gabriel Valley is home to a large and diverse population of two million residents across more than 30 communities in the region. To accommodate the diverse demographics of the San Gabriel Valley, educational mailers would be offered in the languages of English, traditional Chinese, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese, with the flexibility of adding additional languages. Translation services may be completed in-house or outsourced to a translation service provider. Additionally, SGVCOG would disseminate coyote information through its existing social media platforms, including hosted Twitter chats on important coyote management topics with participating cities and other agencies. Website and Coyote Incident Reporting System The SGVCOG would develop and maintain a website/webpage that includes coyote education, related resources, and a Coyote Incident Reporting System for the residents of participating cities. City staff from participating municipalities would direct their residents to this website to learn more about coyote management resources, how to report coyote sightings and incidents, and to obtain a digital copy of the regional coyote management plan. The Coyote Incident Reporting System would be developed in-house andreported incidentswouldbe accessed by the public via the reporting map. Similar to mailers,the website would be offered in the languages of English, traditional Chinese, and Spanish. Coyote Reporting Hotline A regional coyote reporting hotline would be established for the residents of participating cities to report coyote incidents and/or encounters in their communities. Residents would be encouraged to include their names, addresses, phone numbers, approximate time/location and description of the coyote incidents and encounters. All reported coyote encounters and sightings would be logged by the SGVCOG and shared with the participating cities and external stakeholders, including CDFW, the County of Los Angeles, local Human Society/Animal Service organizations, and residents. Additionally, SGVCOG may mail coyote educational materials to the residents that utilize the hotline. Residents who are believed to be in imminent danger, in distress, and/or have been bitten by the coyote would be directed to the 9-1-1 emergency line. NON-URGENT COYOTE RESPONSE SERVICES Based on a five-tier coyote response system, the SGVCOG would be responsible for providing responses to residents that report coyote incidents and encounters. All tiers 1 and 2 reports would be responding with follow-up e-mails or phone calls that direct and provide residents with applicable resources. SGVCOG would be working with residents that report tiers 3 and 4 coyote behaviors to connect withtheir local Animal Services, CDFW Regional Office, and/or other preferred resources to resolve the immediate issues. For residents that report tier 5 coyote behaviors, SGVCOG would connect them to the 9-1-1 emergency line. The SGVCOG would then provide follow-up responses. All responses would include messages that encourage residents and households to attend the upcoming coyote town halls, trainings, and community meetings. Based on the type of reported coyote behavior, staff would provide the appropriate responses in the accordance to the following table: COYOTE BEHAVIOR RESPONSE LEVEL RESPONSES Coyote heard or seen moving in public area 1 Report will be reviewed, and if appropriate, a response will be provided by e-mail or phone. SGVCOG would direct residents to available resources on normal coyote behavior. Coyote seen resting in public area 1 Report will be reviewed, and if appropriate, a response will be provided by e-mail or phone. SGVCOG would direct residents to available resources on normal coyote behavior. Coyote seen resting in public area with humans present 2 SGVCOG provides resources for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques and what-to-do tips. Additionally, SGVCOG would encourage the respective municipality to work with the local community to eliminate coyote attractants. Coyote entering a yard to a home with or without pets present 2 SGVCOG provides information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard audit implementation, human-coyote conflict mitigation, hazing techniques, and/or pet safety information (if applicable). Coyote entering a yard and injuring or killing attended or unattended pet 3 SGVCOG gathers information on specific animal involved, report on circumstances, and provide information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard and neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Coyote biting or injuring an unattended pet/pet on a leash 3 SGVCOG gathers information on specific animal involved, report on circumstances, and provide information for the household to be educated on coyote attractants, yard and neighborhood audits, and pet safety information. Coyote following or approaching a person and pet (stalking) 3 SGVCOG provides information for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques, what-to-do tips, yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safely information. Additionally, SGVCOG will work with the respective municipality to eliminate coyote attractants in the area. Coyote following or approaching a person without a pet (stalking) 4 SGVCOG provides information for the resident to be educated on hazing techniques, what-to-do tips, yard/neighborhood audits, and pet safely information. Additionally, SGVCOG will work with the respective municipality to eliminate coyote attractants in the area. Coyote biting or injuring a human 5 SGVCOG informs the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Residents will receive educational materials on coyote attractants, yard or neighborhood audits, hazing, and pet safety. Additionally, SGVCOG would work with the respective city and its neighboring cities to send out mailers, partner with external stakeholders to host trainings and workshops, conduct a community meeting/town hall, and encourage the cities in the subregion to work with community groups to eliminate coyote attractants. REGIONAL REPRESENTATION AND ENGAGEMENT SERVICES The SGVCOG would serve as a regional voice for participating cities to external stakeholders. This includes communicating with the following entities on regional coyote management efforts that are conducted in the San Gabriel Valley region and maintaining a close partnership with these entities: x California Department of Fish and Wildlife; x Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner / Weights and Measures; x Pasadena Humane Society; x San Gabriel Valley Humane Society; x Inland Valley Humane Society; x University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; x Local and state elected officials; and, x Other relevant stakeholders. BUDGET AND STAFF Based on the services offered within this implementation plan, it is anticipated that SGVCOG would need to hire at least one additional full-time staff to carry out these services. The newly-hired full-time staff would report to the SGVCOG Senior Management Analyst. Aside from needing to hire additional staff, participating cities would need to anticipate other costs for the SGVCOG to deliver these services, including: x Website development and maintenance; x Coyote reporting hotline maintenance; x Development, coordination, and maintenance of the Coyote Incident Reporting System; x Creating flyers, brochures, mailers, and youth educational kits; x Coordinating the distribution and dissemination of flyers, brochures, mailers, and youth educational kits; x Translation services; and, x Mileage reimbursements for staff. Depending on the number of participating cities, city population size(s), and amount of reported activities or conflicts, the annual costs associated with these services would vary. The tables below and on the next page reflect the estimated amount of time spent and expenses incurred each year based on the number of participating cities. ESTIMATED STAFF TIME SPENT ON DELIVERING EACH SERVICE CATEGORY SUMMARY OF SERVICE STAFF TIME Town Halls/ Community Meetings Town halls and community meetings serve as public forums for residents to interact with city staff and elected officials to learn more about coyote management efforts. 15% Coyote Management Workshops /Conflict Trainings Workshops would be held with experts from external stakeholders for local community groups, homeowner associations, chambers of commerce, schools, and other organizations that are located in the participating cities’ boundaries. Trainings would be offered based on reported activity data and/or at the requests of community groups. Trainings may include how to conduct yard and neighborhood audits to help residents eliminate coyote attractants within the area. 15% Non-Urgent Coyote Response The SGVCOG may provide direct responses to residents that report tiers 1 and 2 coyote behaviors, as appropriate. Additionally, the SGVCOG would provide follow-up responses to residents that report tiers 3, 4, and 5 coyote behaviors. 10% Mailers and Social Media Outreach Coyote educational flyers would be mailed to residents in communities with high levels of reported coyote incidents, encounters, and/or conflicts. Additionally, SGVCOG would publicize and disseminate relevant coyote information through its existing social media platforms and work with cities to spread information via their existing social media channels and websites. 20% Regional Representation and Engagement The SGVCOG would serve as a regional voice for participating cities to external stakeholders, agencies, and the public, including communicating with regional entities on coyote management efforts. 15% Youth Outreach and Education Program The SGVCOG would develop and/or distribute age-appropriate coyote education and safety information to schools in participating cities. 5% Website / Coyote Incident Reporting System A website would be developed and maintained that includes coyote education and reporting tools for the residents from participating cities. City staff would direct their residents to visit this website to learn more about coyote management resources, report coyote sightings, and obtain a digital copy of the regional coyote management plan. 15% Coyote Reporting Hotline A regional coyote reporting hotline would be established for the residents of participating cities to report coyote sightings in their communities. All reported coyote encounters and sightings would be logged by SGVCOG staff and shared with the participating cities. 5% *Staff time for each category may fluctuate from year 1 to year 2. ANNUAL COSTS FOR VARIOUS NUMBERS OF PARTICIPATING CITIES *SGVCOG is proposing a minimum of a 2-year MOU to allow for proper staffing for this implementation plan. Category of Expenses 10 or More Cities Additional Comments STAFFING Full-time Management Analyst $80,000 Taxes and benefits included. Mileage Reimbursement $3,000 Expenses incurred from travel. Mileage reimbursement is calculated at $0.58/mile. It is expected that the full-time staff will incur around $200 to $250 of mileage reimbursement expenses every month. Additional Staff Support and Expenses $5,000 This category includes costs of the additional staff time from the SGVCOG to supervise the newly- hired staff. This pool of funds also serves as a discretionary fund. Oversight of the coyote management full-time staff is calculated at $37.04/hour. It is expected that the annual oversight cost of the full-time staff member to be around $4,000/year. EXPENSES Website, Hotline, and Marketing Materials $6,500 Expenses for designing, printing, or ordering flyers, brochures, mailers, and giveaways. This category would also include expenses incurred from creating and maintaining the website and hotline. Translation Services $5,500 Expenses incurred from outsourcing translation services that cannot be completed in-house. Currently, SGVCOG has the capability of translating materials to traditional and simplified Chinese. Translation is calculated at $1/minute for both hotline and marketing material translation services based on existing quotes. Translating a typical two-sided brochure in one language costs about $500. It is expected that the SGVCOG will be outsourcing translation services for the languages of Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. TOTAL EXPENSE PER YEAR:$100,000.00 TOTAL EXPENSE PER YEAR PER CITY:$10,000.00* 1506398.1 1 AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND THE CITY OF ARCADIA FOR PARTICIPATION OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD COYOTE PROGRAM This Amendment No. 1 (“Amendment”) to the Memorandum of Agreement Between the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (the “SGVCOG”) and the City of Arcadia (the “City”) For Participation in the San Gabriel Valley Neighborhood Coyote Program, dated XXX, 2021 (the “MOA”) shall be effective upon the date executed by both Parties hereto (“Effective Date”). RECITALS A. SGVCOG and City entered into the MOA to participate in the San Gabriel Valley Coyote Management Implementation Plan; and B. SGVCOG has changed the name from Coyote Management Implementation Plan to Neighborhood Coyote Program; and C. SGVCOG and City desire to enter into this Amendment to reflect the name change and to make other changes to the MOA as are set forth herein. NOW THEREFORE, the Parties agree to amend the Agreement as follows: I. Wherever in the Memorandum of Agreement the term “Coyote Management Implementation Plan” appears, such term shall be replaced with Neighborhood Coyote Program. II. Article I. Term, shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: The term of this MOA shall commence upon execution of the MOA by the Parties and shall continue through October 31, 2023. SGVCOG’s Executive Director shall have the option to extend this Agreement, subject to the same terms and condit ions contained herein. III. Article II. Responsibilities of the Parties, Section A. Subsection 10, shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: 10. The SGVCOG shall invoice the City for their share in the cost of the San Gabriel Valley Neighborhood Coyote Program. The total invoice amount shall not exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) annually. 1506398.1 2 (a) Initial Payment Amount. The City shall pay no more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) for the initial payment for the 2021 – 2022 fiscal year. The initial invoice will be sent upon the effective date of this MOU and due on July 1st, 2021. (b) Annual Payment Amount. For each subsequent fiscal year, commencing with the 2022 – 2023 fiscal year, the City shall pay no more than Ten Thousand Do llars ($10,000) annually on a fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th) basis to the SGVCOG for participation in the San Gabriel Valley Neighborhood Coyote Program. IV. Article II. Responsibilities of the Parties, Section B., Subsection 1., shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: 1. Participate in coordination calls and meetings with the SGVCOG and all municipalities that have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the SGVCOG for the Neighborhood Coyote Program for the November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2023 term. V. Article III. Project Management, Section A, shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: A. Project Managers 1. For the purposes of this MOA, SGVCOG designates the following individual s as Project Managers: Ana Bordallo, Management Aide and Samuel Pedersen, Management Aide. 2. For the purposes of this MOA, the City designates the following individual as its Project Manager: XXXX (City staff) Either Party may change the designations set forth herein upon written notice to the other Party. VI. Article VIII. Other Terms and Conditions, Section A, shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: A. Notices: All notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered, or sent by electronic mail or certified mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested, addressed as follows: To SGVCOG: Ana Bordallo Management Aide 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Unit 42 Building A-10N, Suite 10-210 1506398.1 3 Alhambra, CA 91803 (626) 457 – 1800 abordallo@sgvcog.org with a copy to: Marisa Creter Executive Director 1000 S. Fremont Avenue, Unit 42 Building A-10N, Suite 10-210 Alhambra, CA 91803 (626) 457-1800 mcreter@sgvcog.org To City: Name Position Address Phone Number Email with a copy to: Name Position Address Phone Number Email Integration. This Amendment amends, as set forth herein, the MOA and except as specifically amended hereby the MOA shall remain in full force and effect. To the extent there is any conflict between this Amendment and the MOA, the terms and provisions of this Amendment shall control. This Amendment and the MOA, including any exhibits attached to the MOA, integrate all the terms and conditions of the Parties’ agreement and supersede all negotiations with respect hereto. The Parties hereby enter into this Amendment No. 1 upon the Effective Date as is set forth above . [Signatures on Next Page] 1506398.1 4 CITY OF ARCADIA By: ________________________________ Name: ______________________________ Title: _______________________________ Date: _______________________________ Approved as to Form: City Attorney SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS By: ________________________________ Name: ______________________________ Title: _______________________________ Date: _______________________________ Approved as to Form: SGVCOG General Counsel