TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Rachel Johnson, Police Chief
Andy Harrod, Acting Police Captain
Alexandria Latragna, Policy and Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Assessment on Coyote Population and Activity (Continued from the August 16, 2022, City Council Meeting) (Police Chief Johnson).
(Estimated Time: 45 Min.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report and discuss and provide direction on next steps, if any.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
At recent council meetings, residents have provided public comment regarding coyote sightings in Manhattan Beach and throughout the South Bay and attacks on pets. At the June 21, 2022 meeting, the Council requested that staff take prompt action to address the reports from residents.
In response to this request, staff undertook a variety of actions concerning coyote management. These include:
• Conducted an internal meeting with representatives from the Police Department, Parks and Recreation, Code Enforcement, Public Information, Legal and Public Works to discuss current and future strategies on coyote management;
• Assigned a staff representative to coordinate the City’s response to coyotes;
• Issued a press release and began a social media campaign on all platforms to educate the public on safeguards to protect pets against coyotes;
• Hosted a regional meeting with a representative from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to discuss how interactions between humans and coyotes can be minimized (Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach Animal Control were in attendance);
• Conducted a patrol of hot-spot areas in the City with the representative from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine where coyotes could be currently located or prone to dwell in the City;
• Liaised with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, City of Torrance and City of Arcadia to obtain information on coyote management;
• Developed and disseminated handouts with public information related to coyote management best practices; and
• Compiled data on confirmed and unconfirmed coyote sightings or attacks.
Following these efforts, City Council discussed the matter at the July 5, 2022 City Council meeting where Council directed staff to investigate and inventory the coyote population and to provide a report with findings.
After obtaining and evaluating several proposals from different consultants to provide a report, staff chose Humane Wildlife Control Incorporated, who is represented by President and CEO, Rebecca Dmytryk. The other consultants who submitted proposals did not demonstrate their experience in producing comprehensive reports such as the one requested by City Council. Rebecca Dmytryk submitted her curriculum vitae that contained extensive professional experience and expertise in the field.
The report summarizing coyote activity produced by Humane Wildlife Control Incorporated is summarized in the discussion section of this report.
It is worth noting noted that during this time, staff has taken additional efforts regarding coyotes. These include:
• Providing public engagement efforts concerning coyotes through the creation of a City webpage, printed handouts, public service announcements, and social media messaging. Additionally, City Staff went door to door to distribute handouts with coyote information to homes in affected areas;
• Created a GIS a map with locations where coyote sightings and confirmed/unconfirmed predation had taken place; and
• Created a GoReach category to allow the community to report sightings on the City’s GoReach app.
DISCUSSION:
Humane Wildlife Control conducted field surveys between July 27 and July 29, 2022 and produced the attached report and recommendations, which are summarized below.
Humane Wildlife Control’s Findings:
• Overflowing residential trash bins
• Open and overflowing commercial bins and dumpsters
• Open and overflowing City and park trash receptacles
• Litter
• Potential natural vertebrate prey (waterfowl, opossums, rodents, etc.)
• Feral and free-roaming cats
• Harborage for coyotes (dense vegetation, subfloor vents and hatches)
• Coyote sightings in Manhattan Beach
• Coyote hubs are likely in Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach
Humane Wildlife Control’s Recommendations:
• Replace park and street trash receptacles with wildlife-proof bins
• Place additional secure trash receptacles during events, as needed
• Increase litter and trash compliance at construction sites
• Remind residents to secure their trash properly
• Encourage residents to report overflowing bins or litter on the City’s GoReach app
• Rodent proof homes or buildings (e.g. securing buildings and clearing dense vegetation)
• Adopt and enforce an ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wildlife
• Adopt a feral cat management program
• Revisit the City’s policy on stray cats
• Develop a plan to discourage healthy geese from overwintering at parks
• Revise and adopt the City’s internal Coyote Management Plan (attached)
• Update Yard Audit checklist
• Develop a coyote sighting map
• Hold community workshops to educate public on proper hazing techniques (one was recently conducted)
Humane Wildlife Control does not recommend removal of coyotes at this time since there was no evidence that the coyotes have posed a threat to people; however, the report indicates that should the behavior of the coyotes become aggressive towards a person, Humane Wildlife Control would recommend trapping. Additionally, staff has consulted with Humane Wildlife Control for its recommendations on purchasing trail cameras to monitor coyote behaviors.
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Manhattan Beach Coyote Survey: Humane Wildlife Control, Inc. (August 5, 2022)
2. Manhattan Beach Coyote Management Plan
3. PowerPoint Presentation (Humane Wildlife Control, Inc.)