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Resident raises pet‑health concerns about herbicide use in LLD maintenance; staff says contractor is licensed and alternatives will be explored
Summary
At the landscape and lighting assessment hearing a resident urged the town to stop using a chemical she described as toxic on trail borders, citing pet illnesses; Parks & Public Works staff said the contractor is licensed, staff investigated, and the town will explore less‑toxic alternatives including mowing and report back as needed.
A Los Gatos resident told the council she believed a chemical applied along trails — which she identified as a quaternary ammonium herbicide (transcribed as "Dequat"/"Tribune") — had contributed to the illness and deaths of neighborhood dogs and urged the town to stop using it.
Stephanie Rickard Hacker explained health concerns she attributes to the product and said certain jurisdictions prohibit its use. Parks & Public Works Director Nicole Burnham said the town’s landscape contractor is licensed to apply the product and that staff had already opened an investigation after the resident’s report. Burnham told the council staff will examine alternatives — including replacing chemical treatments with mowing or other mechanical approaches — but cautioned that shifting protocols could increase costs and may require a public assessment process if it affects LLD budgets.
Council members asked staff to continue investigating alternatives and to return with options and cost estimates. No protests to the assessments were received and the council adopted the necessary resolutions to reauthorize the existing Landscape & Lighting districts for the coming year.
