A
apbtmom76
The city officials are not very enthusiastic about the resident's proposal
to ban pit bulls, nevertheless, anyone in the area should attend the next
city council meeting on July 23 when this issue is slated for discussion.
Yorkville to consider resident's proposed pit bull ban
July 16, 2009
By ROWENA VERGARA rvergara@scn1. com
YORKVILLE -- Yorkville resident Lou Denny says he doesn't want to be afraid
to walk around his neighborhood.
But he can't help but fear the pit bull that lives in his apartment complex
or any other pit bull that may be on the street.
Denny has never been bitten or attacked by a pit bull. But a June 29
incident in Aurora involving a pit bull that bit a teenager, assaulted a
golden retriever and caused injury to the retriever's owner was enough for
Denny to wonder if pit bulls should be banned altogether.
At the very least, he would like to see the breed banned in Yorkville.
At 6 p.m. July 23, Yorkville's Public Safety Committee will discuss a pit
bull ban proposed by Denny. He plans to talk about the possibility of
placing the question of a ban on the ballot for the next election.
"I want to bring that awareness to the community. ... If these pit bulls get
loose, they're devastating, " Denny said. "I hope there's a crowd that's
supportive of this, and if there isn't, it will be a losing battle."
Getting issue on ballot
The rather unusual request to discuss a ban on a specific breed has sparked
questions of the ban's logic.
"Personally, I don't know how you could enforce it. But everybody has the
right to say their piece," said 1st Ward Alderman Wally Werderich, who heads
the Public Safety Committee.
Getting the question on the ballot could require a certain number of
residents to sign a petition in support of the referendum. If the pit bull
ban question were to appear on a future election ballot, it's possible for
it to be considered an advisory referendum. That means that if it passes, it
would be non-binding and would not affect current laws.
An advisory referendum was on last November's ballot for Kendall County, in
which voters defeated a measure asking the Illinois Legislature to allow
residents to carry concealed firearms.
"You can kind of see where a majority of the voters stand on a particular
subject," Werderich explained of the advisory referendum.
Existing laws
Mayor Valerie Burd also expressed concerns about enforcement of a possible
pit bull ban.
The city already has an ordinance regarding vicious domestic animals, she
said.
According to city code, any animal deemed vicious may be impounded or
euthanized. If an animal is released, the owner must post a sign visible
from 500 feet that the property contains a dangerous or vicious dog.
"We try not to target any special breed. It depends on the actions (the
animal) takes," Burd said.
Sgt. Barry Groesch, spokesman for the Yorkville Police Department, said
local police have not taken complaints about violent pit bulls, or vicious
dogs in general.
Yorkville also recently reinstated a leash law, which requires domestic
animals to be on leashes at all times if they're outside.
"We have had a couple calls here and there and have handled them," Groesch
said of enforcement of the leash law.
The July 23 meeting will take place in the conference room of City Hall at
800 Game Farm Road.
http://www.suburban chicagonews. com/beaconnews/ news/1669010, 2_1_AU16_ YOPITBUL
L_S1-090716. article
to ban pit bulls, nevertheless, anyone in the area should attend the next
city council meeting on July 23 when this issue is slated for discussion.
Yorkville to consider resident's proposed pit bull ban
July 16, 2009
By ROWENA VERGARA rvergara@scn1. com
YORKVILLE -- Yorkville resident Lou Denny says he doesn't want to be afraid
to walk around his neighborhood.
But he can't help but fear the pit bull that lives in his apartment complex
or any other pit bull that may be on the street.
Denny has never been bitten or attacked by a pit bull. But a June 29
incident in Aurora involving a pit bull that bit a teenager, assaulted a
golden retriever and caused injury to the retriever's owner was enough for
Denny to wonder if pit bulls should be banned altogether.
At the very least, he would like to see the breed banned in Yorkville.
At 6 p.m. July 23, Yorkville's Public Safety Committee will discuss a pit
bull ban proposed by Denny. He plans to talk about the possibility of
placing the question of a ban on the ballot for the next election.
"I want to bring that awareness to the community. ... If these pit bulls get
loose, they're devastating, " Denny said. "I hope there's a crowd that's
supportive of this, and if there isn't, it will be a losing battle."
Getting issue on ballot
The rather unusual request to discuss a ban on a specific breed has sparked
questions of the ban's logic.
"Personally, I don't know how you could enforce it. But everybody has the
right to say their piece," said 1st Ward Alderman Wally Werderich, who heads
the Public Safety Committee.
Getting the question on the ballot could require a certain number of
residents to sign a petition in support of the referendum. If the pit bull
ban question were to appear on a future election ballot, it's possible for
it to be considered an advisory referendum. That means that if it passes, it
would be non-binding and would not affect current laws.
An advisory referendum was on last November's ballot for Kendall County, in
which voters defeated a measure asking the Illinois Legislature to allow
residents to carry concealed firearms.
"You can kind of see where a majority of the voters stand on a particular
subject," Werderich explained of the advisory referendum.
Existing laws
Mayor Valerie Burd also expressed concerns about enforcement of a possible
pit bull ban.
The city already has an ordinance regarding vicious domestic animals, she
said.
According to city code, any animal deemed vicious may be impounded or
euthanized. If an animal is released, the owner must post a sign visible
from 500 feet that the property contains a dangerous or vicious dog.
"We try not to target any special breed. It depends on the actions (the
animal) takes," Burd said.
Sgt. Barry Groesch, spokesman for the Yorkville Police Department, said
local police have not taken complaints about violent pit bulls, or vicious
dogs in general.
Yorkville also recently reinstated a leash law, which requires domestic
animals to be on leashes at all times if they're outside.
"We have had a couple calls here and there and have handled them," Groesch
said of enforcement of the leash law.
The July 23 meeting will take place in the conference room of City Hall at
800 Game Farm Road.
http://www.suburban chicagonews. com/beaconnews/ news/1669010, 2_1_AU16_ YOPITBUL
L_S1-090716. article
