Item Number: 23
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: June 18, 2024
Submitted By:
Jorge Duran, Code Enforcement Official
Subject:
Extension of Sunset Date for Certain Temporary Fee and Penalty Waivers For Animal Care and Control Pursuant to Section 7.04.055 of Chapter 7.04, Title 7 of the Victorville Municipal Code
Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council adopt Resolution No. 24-055, extending the sunset date of certain temporary fee and penalty waivers associated with the licensing and impoundment of dogs and cats in the city as provided in Victorville Municipal Code Section 7.04.055 to December 31, 2024.
Fiscal Impact:
Due to the proposed extension for fee waivers, a continued decrease in revenues is expected through December 31, 2024. The FY 2024/2025 budget revenue projections reflect the expected continued revenue decrease and will be updated, if necessary, during the mid-year budget review. Except as specifically called out as a fee waiver or temporary suspension, Animal Care and Control fees will adhere to the updated City-Wide Comprehensive User Fee Study under Resolution No. 23-101 approved by the City Council on December 19, 2023.
Strategic Plan Goal:
This item aligns with Goal B: Public Safety – Continue to focus animal services to include active public information and outreach and encourage adoption of animals. The proposed amendments and temporary suspensions will continue to help increase first year dog licensing and chipping of pets, prompt pet reunification with pet owners and the implementation of a City animal shelter to meet community needs.
Background:
On April 1, 2023, the City of Victorville (“City”) was served with a notice from the City’s long time contact animal shelter provider, Victor Valley Animal Protection League 3 6
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(“VVAPL”) advising of their intent to permanently terminate animal shelter services effective April 30, 2023. On average, VVAPL processed 5,000-6,000 stray, seized, or relinquished cats/dogs annually and provided adoption services to all Victor Valley residents, including processing licensing, spay/neuter, and shelter veterinarian services for adopted animals residing within the City of Victorville.
As a result, the City’s Code Compliance Department, Animal Care and Control Division, immediately established a temporary animal shelter and pet adoption center at our existing Animal Care and Control facilities prioritizing the care of animals, ensuring a safe work environment for City staff and expanding public outreach to promote the adoption of animals, including partnering with local retailers on weekends to host pet adoption events.
Concurrently, staff began to identify long-term solutions for a permanent animal shelter and, in December 2023, the City signed a lease agreement with the Victor Valley Union High School District to lease the vacant and unutilized Mavericks School site located on E Street to establish a City animal shelter.
On June 6, 2023, the City Council adopted Urgency Ordinance 2439 and Ordinance 2440 to temporarily suspend certain animal licensing and shelter impound fees to incentivize animal owners to license, vaccinate, microchip, and reclaim their stray cats and dogs and ease economic hardship. These measures were taken to help avoid over-crowding and unhealthy conditions from developing in the City’s temporary animal shelter and permit lost pets to be more quickly reunited with their owners, which helps reduce the length of shelter stays. To manage limited animal shelter capacity, the Ordinance also provided flexibility to manage the available kennel space at the emergency animal shelter by suspending the mandatory pick up of unwanted animals. When shelter animal space is not available, staff have continued to provide residents with alternative options to rehome unwanted pets through online animal shelter and rescue services.
Though the adoption of the urgency Ordinance 2439 made changes effective immediately, Ordinance No. 2440 (Attachment B) was also adopted to revise and codify the following sections of the VMC: 7.04.050(9), 7.04.060, 7.04.065, 7.04.100, 7.04.130,
7.04.140, 7.04.150, 7.04.160, 7.04.280, 7.04.290, 7.04.300, 7.05.040, 7.05.050,
7.05.060, 7.05.110, 7.05.120, and add a new Section 7.04.055 to Title 7 to establish an animal license fee waiver for newly licensed dogs willing to be microchipped.
Section 7.04.055 of Chapter 7.04, Title 7 of the VMC allows the City Council to extend the fee and penalty waivers beyond December 31, 2023, by ordinance or resolution. On December 19, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 23-102 to extend the sunset date of certain temporary fee and penalty waivers associated with the licensing and impoundment of dogs and cats through June 30, 2024.
Discussion:
Following the adoption of Ordinance No. 2440 in June 2023, Animal Care and Control staff have continued to make operational adjustments to accommodate the operation of the emergency animal shelter and adoption center respectively located within the City’s 3 6
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auxiliary equipment and processing facility located at 14154 Palmdale Road and the Animal Care and Control Office located at 14206 Amargosa Road (pictures included as Attachment C).
During the FY2023/2024 mid-year budget review, the City added four experienced part- time Animal Shelter Maintenance Aides to assist with animal care and facility cleaning operations at both facilities. Most of the Animal Shelter Maintenance Aides were hired from the temporary employment agency (ICR, Inc) who previously provided experienced labor to help care for our sheltered animals and demonstrated great pet care skills and compassion for the animals under our care. The Animal Shelter Maintenance Aides are assigned to clean the kennels and care for the animals, including feeding and walking the animals to ensure the animals receive exercise.
The temporary animal shelter facility on Palmdale Rd currently contains 79 dog kennels and 19 catteries along with needed sanitation supplies, equipment, pet food, blankets and pet beds to support a temporary operation and ensure the wellbeing of animals sheltered at this facility. This facility can accommodate up to 105 animals allowing for 25% of total kennels for smaller animals that can be kenneled together – subject to acquaintance or good temperament.
The temporary animal adoption facility on Amargosa contains 20 dog kennels and 6 catteries and is equally equipped to support our adoption operation. Twelve of the 20 dog kennels contain their own above ground drainage and plumbing system for ease of cleaning and the remaining 8 kennels are sanitized and maintained daily by staff. The animal adoption area is open to the public during work week hours of 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Additionally, Animal Care and Control staff continue to partner with local retailers such as The Home Depot, Costco and the Farmer’s Market located at Victor Valley College to host off-site adoption events, all of which have been highly successful and drawn attention to our Pet Adoption Center on Amargosa (pictures included as Attachment D).
The following are year-to-date statistics through June 1, 2024:
• 238 animals have been adopted.
• 48 animals have been relocated to 21 rescues.
• 24 animals have been fostered.
• Over 1,000 animals have been microchipped.
• 885 free dog licenses have been issued.
Animal Care and Control staff are working with City Building and Facilities staff to establish a site plan to repurpose the old Mavericks school site on E street, which is currently being leased by the City from the Victor Valley Union High School District. In coordination with the State of California Division of the State Architect (DSA) who has oversight over public school sites, the Victor Valley Union High School District and the City’s Building Official, DSA has provided clearances to allow for City permits and site 3 6
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modifications for an animal shelter. The site is currently undergoing rehabilitation work and site improvements such as asbestos abatement, plumbing repairs, perimeter fencing modification and assembly of raised quarantine kennels in preparation for an animal shelter with an expected capacity for over 200 dogs and approximately 40-60 feline pets (preliminary site plan and pictures of proposed new animal shelter site are attached as Attachment E).
Plans include repurposing the existing administrative building to support field operations, establish animal quarantine and isolation areas for vicious animals consisting of approximately 30 kennels, the development of a veterinarian and grooming suite and laundry areas. The modular classrooms will be utilized as administrative shelter and adoption operations, shelter and care for cats, allow for Trap Neuter and Release programs (TNR) and storage for pet food and shelter supplies. Staff are also working with a civil engineer on designs to construct two large, temperature controlled 60 ft. x 80 ft. metal buildings that could provide approximately 200 indoor kennels in addition to quarantine kennels and a designated area to shelter equestrian animals. The site will also maintain most of the grass areas to be designated as pet bonding areas. Modified and limited operations are expected to begin within the next 90 days.
City staff are recommending the adoption of Resolution 24-055 (Attachment A) to extend the sunset date of certain temporary fee and penalty waivers associated with the licensing and impoundment of dogs and cats in the city to December 31, 2024. Doing so will facilitate the continued care and intake of animals at the City’s emergency animal shelter and will provide Animal Care and Control staff with needed flexibility to continue with temporary animal shelter and adoption operations until the long-term facility is operational.
Staff remain available for any questions or comments the City Council may have.
Attachments: A. Resolution 24-055
B. Adopted Ordinance 2439 and 2440
C. Pictures of the Temporary Shelter and Adoption Center D. Pictures of Various Pet Adoption Events
E. Proposed New Animal Shelter Site.