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Ocean Shores planning commission approves wildlife-trapping process and forwards draft to City Council
Summary
The commission approved a draft permitting a multi-step process to address nuisance wildlife that lets homeowners appeal to local animal control or a wildlife officer and routes enforcement to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at the homeowner's expense; the draft was sent to City Council as written.
The Ocean Shores Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a proposed update to the municipal code establishing a multi-step process for addressing nuisance wildlife and voted to forward the draft to the City Council.
The proposal, presented as the commission’s final draft, creates an appeals and response process: homeowners with wildlife problems may request intervention by an animal control officer or the wildlife officer, who may then contact the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for further action. The draft makes clear that the homeowner—not the city—would bear the cost of any outside trapping or wildlife-removal services.
"What we've tried to do is ... there's a process here where citizens can appeal to the wildlife officer, or animal control who can then call Department of Fish and Wildlife, who then can take it the next step, all at the expense of the homeowner, not the city," Commissioner Beese said during the discussion. Commissioners said the approach mirrors state allowances while limiting direct homeowner trapping activity within city limits.
Commissioners expressed safety and liability concerns for residents attempting independent trapping. The draft was described as intentionally more restrictive than state language to reduce risk of injury and municipal liability. After discussion the commission moved, seconded and voted to approve the draft language and send it to city council as written.
The commission recorded the approval during the meeting and asked staff to include the package in the materials forwarded to the City Council for legal review and potential adoption.
