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Park City council adopts ordinance limiting feeding of wild animals after resident requests grandfathering
Summary
The Park City City Council adopted ordinance 1241-2026 on May 26, 2026, creating a municipal prohibition on feeding or attracting certain wild animals with exemptions for properties over one acre, trapping, and contained bird/squirrel feeders; the vote was 6-0 after public comment urged grandfathering for long-held rural lots.
The Park City City Council on May 26 unanimously adopted ordinance 1241-2026, creating section 2-132 of the municipal code to prohibit feeding or otherwise attracting certain wild animals when the activity constitutes a nuisance.
The ordinance’s redraft, presented by a staff member (Doug), narrows the prohibition to a closed set of animals, exempts properties larger than one acre, and includes exemptions for trapping and for bird and squirrel feeders "to the extent the feed is maintained in a clean and contained manner designed to remain unavailable to wild animals," Doug said during the presentation.
Why it matters: The ordinance aims to reduce wildlife-human conflicts that can arise when feeding attracts animals into neighborhoods. During public comment, resident Leanna Wilcox Greenfeather asked the council to consider grandfathering long-standing rural properties that historically kept animals and said the community values that way of life.
Leanna Wilcox Greenfeather, who described growing up near livestock and gardens, told the council she appreciated the staff’s concern for wildlife but urged an exemption for longtime residents: "If you proceed with this ordinance, I'd like to request you to take into consideration possibly grandfathering the residents that are in the outlying areas that are affected by this."
Council discussion focused on the nuisance standard and enforcement. Councilmember Jim Schroeder said the ordinance does not ban animals from properties but targets feeding that creates a problem for neighbors: "You just can't feed them, so long as the feeding doesn't create a nuisance," Schroeder said. Councilmembers noted that grandfathering is generally not available for criminal ordinances, though regulatory exemptions could be explored through a separate process.
The ordinance lists specific animal types and sets penalties for violations; staff described the exemptions (properties over one acre, authorized trapping, and contained bird/squirrel feeders) but did not enumerate the five animals in the council floor comments beyond saying the set is closed.
A roll-call vote recorded six votes in favor and no opposing votes; the motion passed 6-0.
Next steps: The ordinance was adopted on first/final consideration at the May 26 meeting; the council did not specify an effective date during the discussion.
