Parks commission directs staff to survey neighbors, vet professional options for Mun Woods, Emma McCarthy Lee deer control

The Parks and Recreation Commission on July 17 voted to direct staff to survey neighbors near Mun Woods and Emma McCarthy Lee Park and to solicit input from professional stakeholders on alternatives for reducing local deer numbers.

Commission members said they wanted more localized input before recommending any change to city policy. The motion, which included a friendly amendment to require staff to investigate population-management alternatives alongside public opinion, passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The commission’s action responds to several letters to city council and three residents who spoke at the meeting describing heavy localized deer use. Resident Max Rothschild, who said he has lived at 511 Oliver Circle for more than 30 years, told commissioners, “In the 30 plus years we’ve lived in the region, the deer population has probably…