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<br />City Council <br />Study Session Summary <br />DATE <br />Page 4 of 7 <br />the gardens be organic, and the city can emphasize the need for organic farming. <br />Comments from board and staff indicated that the integrated weed management <br />plan looked tremendous, and the document was impressive. This is the next <br />step towards more responsible stewardship of land use. <br /> <br />OSAB presented what the Board accomplished in 2008. We are building a <br />regional understanding of open space, as well as long term management and <br />planning to include integrating trail systems. The Integrated Weed Management <br />plan has been an accomplishment. The noxious weed ordinance is in Louisville <br />currently. <br /> <br />The OSAB discussed that Tamarisk runs counter to open space being named <br />after the noxious weed. The OSAB and HFAB members wanted to entertain <br />council advice and suggestions on re-naming, and figure out ways to find out the <br />public interest in naming the open space area; get community input. In <br />consideration of Open space zoning, the council has to come up with designation <br />of open space. HFAB would be happy to research and spearhead the effort. <br />Coyote attacks are in the news these days and were a topic of discussion. All <br />board members have had interactions with coyotes. A coyote management plan <br />was discussed. One need is a better system of reporting interactions; possibly <br />an immediate web-based program to track interactions with coyotes. The city <br />departments met today to work on internal communication. The strong need for a <br />plan was a topic of discussion. Will there be a single department to oversee the <br />plan? The City Council members asked how many interactions within the city <br />over the last 12 months. Coyotes are attacking small animals, jump fences and <br />try to take off with pets. Some residents accept the issue as living near open <br />space. There is a definite balance needed. Fifty percent of residents are very <br />concerned, and the other fifty percent want the protection of the coyotes, and <br />consider this an aspect of living near open space. Most attacks occurred <br />because of feeding the coyotes, as well as the animal feeling cornered. There is <br />a need for education with the public about coyotes and animal encounters. The <br />City needs more information, outside of anecdotal stories. The City needs to be <br />able to offer information and educate the public. A determination of the impact <br />and identification of the catalyst to the frequency of coyote incidents is needed. <br />Definitions of the level of coyote encounters are also needed, so there is <br />accuracy in reporting. Information this time of year is that it is breeding season, <br />therefore more likely that there are and will be encounters. There is an <br />importance to the balance of nature needing to adapt to environmental changes. <br />Members suggested a reporting plan for the citizens of Louisville, so this <br />information is centralized. Education programs, ideas to sponsor monthly open <br />space education programs, such as raptor, were also suggested. There will be <br />an Intern providing education to the public. OSAB would like to have the open <br />space, trails, photographs, regulations on a web space. The dog issue is one of <br />the top issues in valuation of the open space. One of the hot button issues the <br />board is working on is the off-leash area in Davidson Mesa, as well as the dog <br />park. The Open Space charter indicates quite clearly that off-leash is <br />