City Council to take up feral animal issue
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on June 16, 2013 1:50 AM
The Goldsboro City Council is expected to address the ongoing feral animal issue at its meeting Monday night with a new ordinance on its consent agenda.
The ordinance, which first began to be discussed in March, would make it a finable offense to feed a stray or feral animal in Goldsboro unless participating in a trap, neuter/spay and return program.
The original proposal did not include the provision for those participating in a neutering or spaying effort. That change came about after community activists asked the council to allow a more humane solution to the problem -- one that they contend will allow the populations to die off more naturally.
The reason for the fine, though, is to discourage people from feeding the animals, which could lead to the animals showing less interest in the food in the traps, said City Manager Scott Stevens.
Also on the consent agenda are a number of items, including one to accept a $22,717 grant and match it with $11,957 to purchase a police cruiser, as well as several last-minute budget amendments to the 2012-13 budget to close out the fiscal year, which officially ends June 30.
The 2013-14 budget was passed at the City Council meeting on June 3.
Many of the budget adjustments come in the form of charges that must be paid from the fund balance for departments that went over budget for a myriad of reasons.
In addition, four public hearings will be held.
One will be on the non-contiguous annexation request of J&J Farming Enterprises for the south side of Ditchbank Road between N.C. 111 South and Woodpeck Road.
A second will be held on J&J Farming Enterprises' re-zoning request to allow a cluster subdivision to be built on that property.
There are several neighboring residents who have filed a petition in opposition.
A third public hearing will be held on a request to rezone 432.13 acres for development at Busco Beach property to allow the construction of a drag racing track, mud run track, motorcross track and race track.
The fourth public hearing is on a contiguous annexation request by Butterball Property on the west side of North Oak Forest Road.
The City Planning Commission is expected to have a recommendation on these requests for the City Council at its July 1 meeting.
Before the official meeting in City Council Chamber at 7 p.m. will be a work session at 5 p.m. in the City Hall Annex. There the council will discuss the proposed Phase 2 of Streetscape, which was the subject of two recent meetings with downtown business owners and other interested residents, as well as the proposed multi-sport complex next to the Goldsboro Family YMCA, and the new W.A. Foster Recreation Center. A discussion also will be held about demolishing houses within the city limits.