CENTERVILLE -- Expected changes to the county's animal control ordinance have caused city officials to question whether to change their own requirements or ask the county to make changes before final approval.
The city council has adopted the county's animal control ordinance as the city's own with the caveat "so far as they are not in conflict with other effective ordinances of the city," according to city code.
The county animal control program director has been working to revise the county ordinance for months and has sought feedback from city managers as the process evolves.
The county provided a version of the proposed ordinance that the city council reviewed at a recent meeting.
This new county ordinance presents a quandary because it is at odds with Centerville's zoning ordinance.
The problem is, the new county ordinance allows a total of three cats and dogs in any combination. The county ordinance allows a third dog if it is obtained from an animal shelter, a move meant to encourage adoption.
In comparison, the city zoning code allows a total of two household pets.
Staff wanted to know the council's feeling about the county's proposed changes.
To bring the county and city ordinances in harmony, the council would need to ask the county to change its ordinance, or the council would have to change the city's zoning ordinances.
Assistant City Manager Blaine Lutz said the council is agreeable to looking at changing the city ordinances. He said those ordinances need to be clarified anyway, because there is room for questions.
He explained that, right now, the ordinances could be interpreted to include not just dogs and cats as animals, but also goldfish and hamsters.
There has been no timeline set as to when to address these ordinances, but Lutz said it likely won't happen until after the first of the year.
No matter when it happens, he said, the city will use a public process and welcome feedback from residents.
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