Resident urges county action after neighbor attracts dozens of deer; commissioners ask for a proposal

At the Jan. 6 meeting, resident Joe Oleyas told the board he lives in Tallykills East and that a neighbor is attracting large numbers of deer — he said one resident reported attracting about 26 deer — and that the feeding draws other wildlife and creates nuisance and public-health concerns such as rats and raccoons.

Oleyas asked whether the county could enact an ordinance or a permitting program that would restrict or regulate wildlife feeding. "We need to have some ordinance on the books that would control the feeding of the deer or a total restriction," he said, and also suggested controlled hours and permits as possible approaches.

Chair and a commissioner responded that the issue is worth consideration but warned the process moves slowly and that the county will encounter differing views. The chair invited Oleyas to submit a structured proposal to either the chair or his district commissioner; another commissioner said, "I'll be your commissioner," and encouraged follow-up.

Context and next steps: Commissioners did not propose immediate regulatory action at the meeting; they asked the resident to provide a written proposal and to coordinate with his district commissioner so staff can evaluate potential options and legal authority. The board noted pending zoning cases are excluded from unscheduled public comment procedures.

No ordinance, study, or staff assignment with a deadline was approved during the public comment period.