Calvert County holds public hearing on proposed updates to animal-control ordinance; record left open 10 days

Calvert County public-safety officials presented a package of proposed revisions to Chapter 7 of the Calvert County Code governing animals on Tuesday, and the Board of County Commissioners voted to keep the public comment record open for 10 days.

David Dow, the county’s director of public safety, said the animal-control ordinance has not been significantly updated since 2008 and that staff from the Animal Services Division worked on the rewrite to reflect “modern best practices and the evolving needs of the community.” Deputy director April Coleman said the revisions include provisions relevant to the animal shelter and enforcement processes. “Staff, April and her staff, have worked tirelessly on this project and put a lot of thought and effort into it,” Dow said.

After the department’s presentation, staff recommended—and Commissioner [not specified] moved—that the record remain open for 10 days to allow additional written comments. The motion passed by voice vote. No fiscal impact was identified in the memo presented to the board.

The hearing was presented as a continuation of an earlier work session; county staff asked the public to sign in for in‑person remarks and noted an online comment option. The board’s action to keep the record open means commissioners will consider any additional submissions before taking a final vote on ordinance adoption.

The next procedural step is the close of the comment period, after which the board may schedule final consideration or additional work sessions.