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Montreat commissioners do not advance wildlife-feeding ban after mixed views on enforcement and effectiveness
Summary
A proposed one-year test ban on feeding birds and other wildlife failed to advance after commissioners questioned enforcement and whether concurrent sanitation changes would obscure which measure affected bear behavior.
The Montreat Board of Commissioners debated a proposed wildlife‑feeding ordinance that would ask residents to refrain from feeding birds and other wildlife during a one‑year test period from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027. The ordinance is intended to reduce bear interactions by removing easy food sources but would not affect intentionally planted vegetation.
Commissioner Tom Widmer and Commissioner Jane Alexander both urged caution, arguing that introducing a bird‑feeding ban at the same time the town plans to require bear‑resistant containers in the sanitation ordinance would make it difficult to determine which measure reduced bear activity. Widmer also raised enforcement concerns, asking whether the town has the resources to monitor compliance.
Commissioner Mason Blake moved to approve the ordinance and said his household had seen fewer bears after stopping bird feeding; he also referenced an incident in which a bear killed after breaking into a home for bird food. The motion failed for lack of a second, and the board took no further action on the ordinance, indicating members want more discussion and possibly to separate the feeding prohibition from sanitation regulation.
Letta Jean Taylor, speaking during public comment, observed that acorns on her property draw bears more than birdseed, underscoring the variable local causes of bear visits. The board’s failure to advance the ordinance leaves the proposed test period and enforcement approach unresolved.
