CC RES 2015-077 RESOLUTION NO. 2015-77
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO PALOS VERDES APPROVING A NEGATIVE
DECLARATION THEREBY FINDING THAT THERE WILL BE NO
SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WITH THE ADOPTION
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY'S PEAFOWL
MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WILL
ALLOW THE HUMANE TRAPPING AND RELOCATION OF UP
TO 150 PEAFOWL.
WHEREAS, in 2000, the City began monitoring the City's peafowl population in
response to periodic public concerns regarding problems caused by Peafowl such excessive
noise, damage to private property (i.e. yards, roofs, vehicles, etc.), and excessive animal waste.
Around the same time, the City enlisted professional services to conduct a census of the City's
peafowl population within the Ridgecrest, Portuguese Bend, and Vista Grande neighborhoods;
WHEREAS, in 2001, the City began a trapping program to trap up to 50 peafowl within
the Ridgecrest, Portuguese Bend, and Vista Grande neighborhoods. However, due to routine
sabotage to the traps by peafowl enthusiasts, only 19 birds were trapped and relocated;
WHEREAS, in 2008, the City Council conducted a peafowl census which concluded that
the City's peafowl population grew by 53% with the majority of the growth occurring in the Vista
Grande neighborhood since the 2000 census. This was primarily associated with the
abundance of food, prime habitat and lack of predatory animals in the area;
WHEREAS, on May 19, 2009, Ordinance No. 488 was adopted by the City Council
amending Chapter 6.04 of the RPVMC prohibiting the feeding of and interference with efforts to
trap and relocate peafowl;
WHEREAS, on June 16, 2009, the City Council authorized the reduction of peafowl in
the Vista Grande area by approximately 60 birds because this area experienced a peafowl
increase of 207% since the 2000 census;
WHEREAS, between August 14, 2009 and January 15, 2010, Mike Maxey of Wild Life
Services trapped and relocated 71 peafowl birds in the Vista Grande neighborhood;
WHEREAS, on November 2-3, 2011 and April 18-19, 2012, a peafowl census was
conducted in the following five neighborhoods: Portuguese Bend, Vista Grande, Crestridge,
Sunnyside, and Monte Verde. This census revealed a reduction in the peafowl population
compared to past census reports. In light of this, no City-sponsored trappings occurred during
this time period;
WHEREAS, on November 18, 2014, the City Council reviewed the census reports taken
in June and October 2014 within the Portuguese Bend, Vista Grande, Crestridge, Sunnyside,
and Monte Verde neighborhoods and found that the peafowl population has significantly
increased since the last census was conducted in 2009. Additionally, throughout 2014, the City
experienced an increase in resident complaints regarding peafowl with the majority of the
complaints coming from the Vista Grande neighborhood. Thus, in light of the increase in
peafowl population in the surveyed neighborhoods combined with a recent increase in resident
complaints, including the tenor of the public comments, the City Council directed Staff to move
forward with the development of a peafowl trapping and management plan;
WHEREAS, on February 17, 2015, prior to preparing a Peafowl Management Plan, the
City Council was entered into a professional service agreement with Wildlife Services (Mike
Maxcy) for future peafowl trapping and other professional management services. That same
evening, the Council adopted Resolution No. 2015-13 appropriating $34,115 to cover costs for
preparing the Peafowl Management Plan and to conduct humane trapping of up to 150 birds;
WHEREAS, on June 9, 2015, the Peafowl Management Plan (PMP) which, among other
things, proposes the trapping of up to 150 peafowl was publicly circulated along with the Initial
Study and Negative Declaration. Additionally, a public notice was mailed on July 9, 2015 to
every property owner within the five neighborhoods slated for trapping. Additionally, on the
same date, a public notice was published in the Peninsula News and a listserve message was
sent to the Breaking News and Peafowl subscriber groups; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of CEQA, the City Council determined that the
approval of the Peafowl Management Plan which, among other things, proposes the humane
trapping and relocation of up to 150 peafowl per year would not result in an adverse impact to
the surrounding environment including biological resources. This is because peafowl were
introduced to the Palos Verdes Peninsula by man and are not considered an indigenous
species to the area. Therefore, peafowl are not identified as a candidate or as a special status
species in a local or regional plan, or by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife agencies. Thus, there will be no impact to any protected species, riparian
habitat, sensitive natural community, wetland, biological resources or to any adopted habitat
conservation plan as a result of the adoption and implementation of the PMP.
NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes as follows:
Section 1. That the Peafowl Management Plan is intended to control and reduce the
peafowl population in the City by allowing the humane trapping and relocation of up to 150 birds
off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Generally, the peafowl nesting/hatching season takes place
during April and May which is not considered a humane season to trap. Thus, trapping will
occur between July 15th and December 31st. This is primarily because of the peahen (female).
However, peacocks (male) can be trapped throughout the year if warranted.
Section 2. The humane trapping of peafowl will occur as follows:
• Traps will be made from chicken wire, or other similar material deemed acceptable by the
City (traps are considered City property)
• Traps will generally be approximately 8'(L) x 6'(H) in size intended to hold approximately 6-8
birds at a time.
• Traps will be placed on private property based on agreements between the City and the
property owner. The City will ask for volunteers.
• Traps will be serviced on a regular basis, but no less than once a week, by the City's
trapping vendor and based on feedback from the property owner where the traps are
located.
• Traps will be maintained and monitored in accordance to the State of California Department
of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife standards.
Resolution No. 2015-77
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• Traps occupied by peafowl will be serviced within 24 hours. The property owner where the
traps are placed will be required to notify the City and the trapping vendor within 24 hours of
the trap being occupied by peafowl.
• The trapping vendor will be required to report to the City with dated photo documentation of
each bird trapped within 24 hours of its removal, as well as where the bird was relocated as
described in Stage 5.
In addition to the use of traps, the trapping vendor will also be able to gather peafowl using
large, soft hand-held "fishing" style nets. This method is considered a very effective and quick
way to quickly and humanely remove the young and fearless birds from the trapping regions.
Section 3. Once peafowl are trapped or removed from a trap they become the property
of the trapping vendor. Trapped peafowl will be relocated off the Palos Verdes Peninsula to
homes that have been screened by the trapping vendor and reviewed by the City to ensure the
individuals adopting the peafowl have some avian experience and have adequate space for
peafowl to roam freely. The location and contact information (name and phone number) of the
individual(s) accepting the trapped peafowl will remain confidential to protect their privacy.
Under no circumstances will the trapped peafowl be euthanized or treated inhumanely.
Section 4. In addition to trapping, the City will educate the public on how to
discourage peafowl activity from occurring on private property. Since the success of the
deterrent measures is dependent on residents working together consistently, as part of the
implementation of the PMP, the City intends to proactively educate the public on these
suggested deterrent measures by using various public outreach tools.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 4th day of August 2015.
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07-
Attest:
614 46q
City Clerk
State of California )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
City of Rancho Palos Verdes )
I, Carla Morreale, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the above
Resolution No. 2015-77 was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said City Council at
a regular meeting thereof held on August 4, 2015.
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it4(4 I#
City Clerk
Resolution Na. 2015-77
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