TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Brian D. Bordona, Director of Planning Building & Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Akenya Robinson-Webb, Code Compliance Manager
SUBJECT: An Ordinance amending Napa County Code Chapter 6.18 (Keeping of Roosters) and Section 18.08.040 (Agriculture) of Chapter 18.08 (Definitions)
RECOMMENDATION
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Introduction and intent to adopt an Ordinance of the Napa County Board of Supervisors, State of California, amending Napa County Code Chapter 6.18 (Keeping of Roosters) to address concerns regarding cockfighting and avian disease and Section 18.08.040 (Agriculture) of Chapter 18.08 (Definitions) relating to the raising and keeping of roosters. (No Fiscal Impact)
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BACKGROUND
In 2013, the Napa County Board of Supervisors adopted Chapter 6.18 (Keeping of Roosters) of the Napa County Code to regulate the keeping of roosters within unincorporated Napa County. The purpose of that ordinance was to eliminate the potential for public nuisance, and for the protection of the health and safety of the residents of Napa County residents. However, the large numbers of roosters that are allowed under the current ordinance have created challenges for the County to effectively address ongoing concerns related to illegal cockfighting operations, avian influenza, and quality of life for Napa County Residents.
Cockfighting is a form of animal cruelty in which roosters are forced to fight, often to the death, with sharpened metal implements attached to their legs. In addition to being illegal under state law, cockfighting operations are often linked to other criminal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal gambling, firearm offenses, and violence against individuals. The current ordinance allows for significantly more roosters than neighboring jurisdictions or nearby towns such as Solano, American Canyon, Marin, and Sonoma. As a result, Napa may be unintentionally attracting individuals engaged in illegal cockfighting operations.
Avian influenza...
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