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Residents urge nonlethal bear management; council schedules CDFW presentation
Summary
Multiple residents urged nonlethal responses to bear conflicts (hazing, wiring, fines) and stronger coordination with police and California Department of Fish & Wildlife; council confirmed that CDFW will present on Oct. 21 and staff will review locking trash containers and other local steps.
Residents used public communications to press the council for stronger, coordinated nonlethal bear-management measures and local ordinances to reduce human-bear conflicts.
Kathy Zollinger of the Bear League described a recent Keys Boulevard response in which police deferred action and the Bear League "was able to help the homeowner" after arriving on scene; she urged improved coordination and quicker responses. "PD could do better when doing bear calls whether we're there or not," Zollinger said, and reported that Bear League recommendations recently led at least nine homeowners to install bear wiring.
Several speakers, including Melissa Sauterston, urged the city to adopt stricter ordinances and fines to force secure trash and property practices. "We must do the same because this problem will only escalate," Sauterston said, adding that hazing and wiring on other shores has reduced problems there.
Other speakers, including John Messina, questioned hazing and electric fences, saying they can shift the problem and have safety and legality issues in city code. Council and staff replied that the city's trash containers now have locking capability and that staff would follow up. Council confirmed that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will present to council at the Oct. 21 meeting on fish and wildlife approaches to bear management.
Why it matters: Bear-human conflicts affect public safety, property and wildlife; residents who volunteer time to haze or protect bears said they need formal city support and clearer operational coordination with police and state wildlife officials. Council indicated a willingness to pursue options and directed staff to include the CDFW presentation on the next meeting agenda.
Next steps: Council scheduled a CDFW presentation for Oct. 21 and asked staff to circulate additional information and follow up with stakeholders about locking containers, ordinances and potential fines.
