Resident urges ban on feeding wild animals; council asks law director to draft ordinance

A Lewisville resident who identified herself as Cindy told council she and her neighbors have endured persistent problems caused by people throwing food near a retention pond: geese, raccoons, skunks, deer and other animals fouling yards and creating recurring costs to remove wildlife. "I'm sick and I'm tired... I don't have time for this," she said, and added she is undergoing stage‑three endometrial cancer and is seeking relief from the ongoing nuisance.

Council asked the city law director, Tanya, to outline legal options. Tanya said the city can adopt an ordinance banning feeding of wild animals and offered several implementation choices: a narrow ban focused on waterfowl, a ban near public property (examples cited were within 200 feet of public property), or a broader citywide prohibition. She warned enforcement is the difficult part and described common approaches used elsewhere: progressive fines, minor misdemeanor citations and initial warnings handled by the police department with escalation to mayor's court if necessary. Tanya said she will draft sample ordinances for council review (she had distributed examples including Barberton and Broadview Heights that exempt pets and songbirds and explain the governmental purpose).

Council members expressed support for starting with a narrower geographic scope (public property plus a defined buffer) with the option to broaden if problems persist. Staff will bring draft language back at the next meeting.