Township Tables Ordinance to Prohibit Feeding of Geese on Private Property

Once again the township committee has tabled the wildlife feeding ordinance that would prohibit residents from feeding geese on public and private properties.

“I’ve spoken to some of the freeholders. I’ve spoken to some of the surrounding towns,” Committeeman Gary Quinn said. “This is an issue that’s effecting a lot of people and I think to take and go and put something in play as far as feeding animals and stuff is wrong at this time until we look at all the facts and look at this thing a little more intensely.”

After receiving much pushback from residents last month, , which would prohibit the feeding of wildlife on all private and public properties.

As part of the township’s geese population management plan, the committee crafted a modified ordinance. Feeding wildlife on public property, which the committee says contributes to the presence of geese, had already been illegal. The township sought to update the ordinance to include all private properties as well.

The ordinance was to prohibit ground feeding for all wildlife, not just geese, and would punish an individual in violation of the law by a fine between $100 and $1,250, imprisonment of no more than 90 days, community service of no more than 90 days or any combination of fine, imprisonment and community service.

Residents were concerned that they would no longer be able to feed wildlife on their own property. A non-scientific Lacey Patch poll from May revealed that 77 percent of 190 voters felt that the ordinance was infringing on their rights.

“It’s about the geese so the ordinance to me should be about the geese,” Leslie Nielsen of Forked River said in May. “Maybe we should do more for trying to find other ways for taking the geese out before we’re getting into my private property, which of course is on the waterways.”

The new ordinance, Peace and Good Order, would have only encompassed geese with the punishment remaining the same.

“The way it’s written here is going to put neighbor against neighbor and I just don’t want to see that stuff happening,” Quinn said.

Township Administrator Veronica Laureigh said the committee might decide to simply go with the county’s ordinance. If that were the case, the committee would not have to make a vote. If the township were to receive a complaint, it would be forwarded to the county to be investigated.

“The county Board of Health has an ordinance with more teeth so I think if we need to fall back on that we can call back to the county,” Committeeman David Most said.

The county’s ground feeding ordinance for birds could not be obtained at this time. The story will be updated as more information becomes available.