Minutes - Council - 09/23/2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Olson stated that she had no problem with the CUP, but with five dogs, she wants to make it very clear that her approval is based solely on having dogs contained at all times. Councilmember Look stated that there was letter in packet from Harold Dowling and asked how Ms. Randall can address his concerns. Ms. Randall stated that she feels she has done everything possible to appease that neighbor and noted that here are no other issues from other neighbors. She stated that she doesn't keep her windows in the front of her house open anymore and she rearranged her bedroom so the dogs can't look at the windows because they would bark when they saw something in the street. She stated that prior to the fence, she always put them out the backyard. She stated that they are dogs and do bark, but not continuously. She noted that there were other letters from neighbors and a survey from neighbors that had no problems with her request. Councilmember Look asked what the threshold is in the City Ordinance relating to barking dogs. City Attorney Goodrich stated when they become a nuisance it needs to go to court to prove that it is a nuisance, such as the frequency of barking and when it is heard. Councilmember Dehen stated that he is opposed to this because he thinks a Council needs to look at what criteria it will decide cases on. He stated that if there is no set criteria for when a CUP will be granted for someone coming and asking for multiple dogs, then the Council ought to allow people to have as many as they want. He stated that he thinks it is important to figure out why the City has the limits on the number of dogs people can have because the more dogs someone has the more problems there are with barking or chasing. He stated that he is big on respecting neighbors, because that is Mr. Dowling's home and he should have sanctity of home. Ms. Randall stated that it is her home too and she should also have sanctity of home. Councilmember Dehen stated that he thinks the Council needs to focus on the criteria for a CUP, because if anyone can come and say I want five dogs or seven dogs he thinks there will be issue with barking, animals getting out and chances of people getting bit. He stated that it is not that he thinks that Ms. Randall is a horrible person, he just has a personal view that people ought not to have too many dogs unless it is a breeding or kennel situation. Councilmember Elvig stated that he has some reluctance on the direction the ordinances have taken in the past few years to be tough so people cannot cross the line on issues. He stated that sometimes you can go too far and thinks the Council should deliberate and use common sense. He stated that he has also seen a lot of kids running around and parents don't control them. He stated that common sense tells him that she is not that kind of (:ity Council! September 23, 2008 Page 15 of21