Dogs at large have become a growing problem for the county.
The Churchill County Commissioners agreed at their Wednesday meeting to move forward with enacting dog ordinances in the county.
Sheriff Ben Trotter said after the Dec. 4 board meeting, the District Attorney’s Office and Churchill County Sheriff’s Office worked on developing an ordinance to address problems being caused by at-large and barking dogs in the county.
Trotter said the dogs at-large ordinance will make it unlawful for dogs to run at will on property other than that of the owner’s unless the canine is a working dog or is under the immediate direction and control of the person responsible it. He said the ordinance also provides measures to allow county officers to capture at-large dogs. Captured dogs will be taken to the Fallon City Animal Shelter and will be housed and released according to city policies.
The barking dogs ordinance makes it unlawful to permit a dog to bark or make other noises for a cumulative period of 30 minutes or more in any hour at a noise level exceeding 60 decibels as measured on any residential property, Trotter said.
“Sixty decibels is a level which would most likely disturb the peace of a reasonable person and is a level used by other jurisdictions as a noise threshold for noise nuisances,” he said.
Trotter said the sheriff’s office will make available decibel meters to those who do not have access to one. The ordinance applies to people residing on properties of 10 acres or less.
The penalty for violating either of the ordinances is a civil penalty, Trotter said, with fines starting at $25 and increasing with subsequent offenses to a maximum of $100.
“The sheriff’s office intends to work with dog owners to educate them on this new law and to help them be compliant before charging anyone for violating the ordinances,” he said.
Commissioner Bus Scharmann said the county is taking a huge step developing the ordinances. He would like to see if giving the sheriff’s office the ability to control this problem will result in people controlling their dogs on their own.
“Maybe they’ll see that we finally have an ordinance and they’ll get with the program,” Scharmann said.
Trotter said if violators do not pay the fines, it then turns from a civil matter to a criminal matter.
The commissioners are expected to approve the ordinances at the March 5 meeting.
Other items approved or discussed
Approved a wastewater connection fee agreement between the owners of Riverside Mobile Home Park and Churchill County.
Approved Resolution 04-2015 that augments the fiscal year 2014-2015 budget in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Budget Act in NRS chapter 354.
Approved a public hearing on March 5 to consider Bill 2015-C, Ordinance 71 in regards to changing the due date of the monthly utility bills.
Approved purchase of conservation easement and 51 transferable development rights from the approved sending site, parcel 007-572-06.
Approved purchase of conservation easement and 583 transferable development rights from the approved sending site, parcel 006-091-71.
Approved Eide Bailly as the county’s independent auditors for the FY ending June 30, 2015.