Council study session reviews comprehensive pigeon-abatement plan for city facilities

City staff on Aug. 11 presented a proposed contracted bird-abatement program intended to address persistent pigeon activity at multiple Chandler facilities, including parking structures, city buildings and cooling towers.

The proposed program would combine cleaning and sanitizing of impacted areas, targeted abatement and humane population reduction methods, installation of deterrents such as netting and other permanent controls, and ongoing monitoring and data collection to measure effectiveness. "These measures are permanent structures that we place in at each site and facility," the presenting staff member said, noting netting as an effective, though costly, option.

Staff listed facilities to be included such as the main library covered parking, main police department parking garage, city hall and its parking garage, courts, Center for the Arts, Tumbleweed Recreation Center and Tumbleweed Tennis Center, and Oregon Street parking structure. The presenter said staff had worked with subject-matter experts for over a year and that prior measures — spikes and trapping — produced only temporary results and frequent citizen complaints.

Council members asked about scope and cost. Council member Martinez said she was "a little shell shocked at the price tag" and asked how many buildings the contract covered; staff estimated "at least 11 or 12 buildings" while another council member noted the version of the contract he had listed seven locations. Council member Harris recommended the council consider broader community measures to reduce feeding of wild birds, saying the city should not keep investing without addressing the underlying behavior: "We cannot just put money on issues and then walk away from it." Harris also cited comparative city spending, saying, "we're gonna put 300 and some thousand dollars in protective measures for pigeons," and asked staff to consider consistent citywide approaches to wild-animal feeding and control.

Staff said the installations are intended to be long-lasting, with netting requiring little maintenance beyond repair for tears, and that the goal is measurable reductions in bird presence, facility damage and maintenance costs. The presentation identified expected outcomes: reduced pigeon populations at target locations, mitigation of facility damage and reduced maintenance (window cleaning, pressure washing), and creation of a sustainable monitoring program.

No formal vote occurred at the study session; staff said the item was before council for review and would return as a consent or action item at a later meeting. Council directed staff to continue work on the program and noted the need for a parallel community strategy to address feeding and other drivers of bird populations.