CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
CITY COUNCIL MEETING – COUNCIL MEMBER ITEMS REPORT
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RHONDA BOLTON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
NATALIE MOSER, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
DATE: MAY 17, 2022
SUBJECT: DIRECT STAFF TO PERFORM A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE OF THE COYOTE
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Coyotes have become a topic of much discussion not only within Huntington Beach, but statewide. In April, a toddler was attacked and injured by a coyote at the beach. Residents have expressed fear and concern due to this incident and other reports of aggressive coyote behavior within our community.
On Monday, May 9, 2022, a town hall was held by our Police Department to provide residents information on coyote safety and management. During the meeting the Huntington Beach Police Department, OC Animal Care, and The California Department of Fish and Wildlife participated by providing the community information about each agency’s actions and answered attendees’ questions.
The City first introduced a Coyote Management Plan in 2015 that was intended to be periodically updated. To enhance public safety of our community we are proposing a comprehensive review and update to the 2015 Coyote Management Plan. The update should incorporate best management practices aimed at implementing measures that result in the highest possible degree of community safety, while balancing humane treatment of our local coyote population and the health of our local ecological system. The updated plan should enhance community education and outreach measures that incorporate the Wildlife Watch program developed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It should also evaluate the City’s deployment of effective informational signage in public spaces directed at enhancing preventative and proactive measures to better safeguard our human and domesticated pet population.
The Coyote Management Plan update should include, but not be limited to the following:
1. A review of city policies, responses, municipal codes, and practical precautions residents can take to ensure these measures adequately address contemporary best management practices and thus provide optimal likelihood of enhancing safety of our community and our treasured pets. Review of current best management practices should include Coyote Management Plan Update
May 17, 2022
consideration of any practices that are successfully being deployed by other, similarly situated cities.
2. A comprehensive evaluation of our 2015 plan should examine our beach and parks and suggest how we can more effectively discourage wildlife attraction that trash receptacles and other features present.
3. Updates to reporting and response programs within the aim to meet the concerns of our community. This should include technologies and tools such as convenient phone apps that provide real-time reporting to track coyote movements, sighting and behavioral trends, to the extent that such the technologies allow.
4. Review the City’s contract with OC Animal Care to ensure that its program aligns with the City’s revised Management Plan.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Direct staff to identify operational enhancements to the City’s Coyote Management Plan, as described above, and provide a status report of same within 30 days.