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Council discusses allowing 8-foot deer fences in backyards amid concerns over displacement
Summary
Council reviewed a draft ordinance permitting 8-foot deer fences in rear yards (not front yards) to protect landscaping and reduce deer-related hazards; residents and council members urged caution about animal safety and regional solutions to deer overpopulation.
The Englewood City Council considered a proposed ordinance to permit 8-foot deer fences in backyards to protect landscaping, pets and children after multiple resident complaints about deer damage.
Council members and staff described the draft as modeled on ordinances in other municipalities: the fence would be a specific 8-foot structure, installed in backyards only, using materials and spacing designed to avoid injury to deer and children. "The 8-foot fence ... deer usually they can't jump over it," one council speaker said while explaining the rationale.
Residents in public comment urged the council to consider wider regional strategies rather than measures that could simply displace deer to less affluent neighborhoods. Amy Bulock cautioned that if many properties install tall fences it may push deer into neighborhoods where residents cannot afford such barriers and could alter neighborhood character, saying such fencing "could start to look like a prison yard." Other residents suggested alternative nonlethal measures and plantings to deter deer.
Council members noted this is an item that has appeared before and will require further drafting to address materials, spacing and animal-safety concerns. No ordinance vote was taken; staff indicated continued work on the draft and possible regional coordination.
