The Seal Beach City Council unanimously approved a Coyote Management Plan Monday, March 9. The vote came after many residents called on the council to do something about the coyotes around town.
The plan calls for education of the public and lethal removal of specific coyotes when the animal’s behavior reaches a certain level of aggression. Only one person at the meeting spoke out against the lethal removal provision of the plan.
The draft plan presented to the council called for the removal of “specific problem coyotes,” but Mayor Ellery Deaton said she would prefer to use lethal removal of coyotes generally and hope that the specific coyote was caught.
“And how are we going to identify specific coyotes?” Deaton asked.
Deaton also asked city staff to look into getting a cell phone app that would allow the public to report coyote sightings more easily.
Assistant City Manager Patrick Gallegos, who has been handling the coyote issue for Seal Beach, there were ways to identify specific coyotes.
Councilman David Sloan, who has had a pet attacked by a coyote, said that if there is an animal attack, then the community is in a “code red” situation. Under the Coyote Management Plan, code red behavior would lead to trapping and killing.
Gallegos said the coyote problem was a new phenomenon that was occurring across the nation and he described the city’s plan as proactive. He also said it was not a perfect plan and that without the public’s support it is going to fail.
Gallegos said coyote activity had increased because of the drought, because of construction (such as work on the 405 freeway) and because coyotes had lost their fear of humans.
Ten residents asked the council to do something about the coyote problem during the public comment segment of the meeting.
Mary Cobb, of College Park West, for example, said hazing coyotes had not worked in her neighborhood. She also said she had given up on reporting coyote sightings because it is too difficult.
Patricia Davenport, of Leisure World, said killing is not a solution to conflicts between people and animals. She urged the council to reject the Coyote Management Plan.
Memorial contract approved
As part of the Consent Calendar, the council approved improvement plans for Eisenhower Park that included awarding an approximately $131,000 contract to J.D.C. Incorporated to build a memorial to the victims of the Salon Meritage shootings.
Closed session
The City Council also met in closed session. One agenda item was to discuss real estate negotiations with Off the Hook for the restaurant space at the end of the Seal Beach Pier.
The other closed session agenda item was to discuss a threat to public services or facilities.
City Attorney Steve Flower told the public that the council did not take any reportable action on either of the two matters.
Sgt. Phil Gonshak, the Seal Beach Police Department’s public information officer, consulted with the city manager and the city attorney before telling the Sun that they did not want to comment on the matter of the threat.
