Resident pleas prompt council to send pet-limit change to Planning and Zoning

Leah Pittman, a Powell resident, urged the council to amend city code section 17.76.030 after saying local shelters are overcrowded and that her family could be forced to surrender dogs if the limit remains unchanged. "If we had to get rid of our 2 dogs, then that would just make the overcrowding worse," Pittman told the council.

The council discussed process and jurisdiction: council members and staff clarified that changes to that code section would originate with Planning and Zoning because the provision is in Chapter 17 (zoning). Council member S5 moved to instruct Planning and Zoning to investigate amending section 17.76.030 to increase the household limit to four adult pets; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Residents who spoke at the meeting described family hardship, property improvements (fencing), vaccination and identification concerns, and neighborhood noise complaints. Chris Pittman, another resident, asked the council to consider a special permit option to avoid putting police in the position of verifying vaccinations for dogs that are not on file with the department.

Council members noted prior contentious debate when the issue arose earlier and said they did not intend to act tonight on a permit; instead they gave direction to Planning and Zoning and requested staff and legal review of related definitions (including how emotional-support animals intersect with ADA rules). The council also asked staff to include a public hearing step if ordinance language is drafted.

Next steps: Planning and Zoning will review the ordinance language and return a recommendation; no ordinance change was adopted at this meeting.