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STRATEGIC OUTCOMES |
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ACTION |
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Department: |
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Safe & Prosperous |
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Motion |
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City Attorney |
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Active & Appealing |
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Resolution |
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Respected & Responsible |
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Ordinance - Introduction |
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Division: |
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Connected & Engaged |
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Ordinance - Adoption |
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Administration |
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Unique & Creative |
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Public Hearing |
TITLE:
title
Yuma City Code Text Amendment: Animals and Fowl
end
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION:
Summary Recommendation
Amend Title 13, Chapter 13 to modernize language, reduce redundancy, provide for easier enforcement, and shift to civil penalties for minor and administrative offenses. (City Attorney) (Emily Hart)
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STRATEGIC OUTCOME:
This text amendment promotes the City’s strategic goal of being Respected and Responsible by providing comprehensive animal control laws to protect animals and people in the community.
REPORT:
Title 13, Chapter 130, of the Yuma City Code was initially adopted in 1978, with the most recent major update occurring in 2011. The current version of Chapter 130 requires modernization to comply with current legal standards and animal control procedures. The proposed changes to Chapter 130 act to streamline the animal code ordinances by removing redundant provisions, removing regulations for issues now governed by Arizona State Statutes, and by changing language to allow for easier enforcement.
The proposed update further changes the default punishment for violations. Currently, most violations of Chapter 130 are criminal in nature. A person found in violation is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and faces a possible fine of $750.00, 5 days in jail, or some combination of the two. The process of charging an individual with a crime requires several City resources to include a sworn peace officer, a prosecutor, a defense attorney, and multiple court hearings, which require involvement of multiple Municipal Court staff. The proposed Chapter 130 shifts the default punishment from criminal to civil. A civil citation reduces the strain on City resources significantly as the citation may be issued by a civilian animal control officer, no prosecutor is involved, no defense attorney is required, and court involvement is reduced to either taking payment for the fine or holding one hearing. Moreover, this change prevents citizens from acquiring criminal histories for primarily administrative violations.
Lastly, the proposed ordinance seeks to address situations that are unsafe for animals but for which there are no current avenues for interventions, and acts to shift the financial costs of the care of injured animals and people to the responsible party.
FISCAL REQUIREMENTS:
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CITY FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
BUDGETED: |
$ 0.00 |
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STATE FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
AVAILABLE TO TRANSFER: |
$ 0.00 |
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FEDERAL FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
IN CONTINGENCY: |
$ 0.00 |
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OTHER SOURCES: |
$ 0.00 |
FUNDING ACCOUNT/FUND #/CIP: |
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TOTAL |
$ 0.00 |
- |
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT:
NONE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ACTION FORM THAT ARE ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK:
NONE
IF CITY COUNCIL ACTION INCLUDES A CONTRACT, LEASE OR AGREEMENT, WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUTING THE DOCUMENT FOR SIGNATURE AFTER CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL?
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Department |
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City Clerk’s Office |
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Document to be recorded |
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Document to be codified |
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Acting City Administrator: |
Date: |
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John D. Simonton |
10/12/2026 |
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Reviewed by City Attorney: |
Date: |
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Richard W. Files |
10/12/2026 |