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San Juan County Council hears push for wildlife-protection ordinance around Cattle Point
Summary
Residents and island land managers urged the county to consider an ordinance to curb feeding, close approach and blocking of rights-of-way near wildlife dens at Cattle Point; staff proposed stakeholder convening and asked council whether to draft an ordinance.
Residents and land managers urged the San Juan County Council on Aug. 5 to pursue a local wildlife-protection ordinance focused on public lands around Cattle Point that would ban feeding and close approaches to foxes and other wildlife.
The call for action came during public access time and later during a staff first-touch presentation. "I'm here to express my support for today's agenda item number 7 concerning an ordinance establishing enforceable protections for wildlife," said Lucy Francis, a San Juan Island resident who lives near Cattle Point. She and other residents described rising tourism and higher local wildlife populations leading to habituation.
Why it matters: County staff, federal and state land managers and residents all told staff the core problems are habituation and human-wildlife conflict — behaviors such as feeding, baiting and setting up tripods or chairs close to dens that can change animal behavior, create safety risks and lead to wildlife mortality. Tillery Williams, deputy county manager, told the council staff had heard repeated requests for county intervention and that enforcement and jurisdictional complexity (state, federal and county lands) will be key questions going forward.
At the meeting, Williams summarized draft ordinance concepts that residents had floated: prohibiting feeding or baiting on public lands and roadways, barring loitering or blocking of travel lanes to view or photograph wildlife, requiring minimum approach distances (examples discussed were 75 feet, or 100 feet where young are present), and forbidding encroachment on den sites.
Williams also presented examples of existing state and federal wildlife protections as possible models and told the council staff would consult the prosecuting attorney’s office on legal alignment and conflicts. "The ordinance would be a tool because what the state and federal public lands managers are focused on is educating and training people on ethical behaviors ... and they believe that an ordinance would just provide another tool," Williams said.
Discussion at the dais emphasized working with state and federal partners, consistent signage and public education rather than relying solely on criminal enforcement. Council members said a stakeholder convening was the appropriate next step to gather land managers (BLM, National Park Service, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife), county departments (Land Bank, Environmental Stewardship) and residents for consensus-building before drafting an ordinance.
Outcome/next steps: Council members indicated they supported staff convening stakeholders and returning with a recommended process. Staff said a potential stakeholder group could identify roles (education, signage, enforcement) and address how enforcement would be implemented given limited sheriff resources.
Community context and details: The Cattle Point / American Camp area was highlighted as a focal zone where dens are close to trails and roads and where increased tourism in recent years has produced the observed problems. Stakeholders repeatedly emphasized signage and education as primary, enforceable measures to pair with any ordinance.
Ending note: Staff asked for direction to continue consultation and, if directed, to return with a draft ordinance backed by stakeholder input and legal review. Council members favored further consultation and forming an inclusive advisory group to develop consensus on language, enforcement and signage.
