La Mesa dog-and-cat-friendlier than ever

When the fiscal year starts on July 1, La Mesa residents will see a decrease in some animal-related fees, a permit will be required for commercial haunted houses, and nonprofit groups and service clubs will pay a lower fee to rent facilities like the Harry Griffen Park amphitheater. (The park at 9550 Milden Street is also home to Canine Corners dog park.)

The amphitheater rents for $180 an hour (with a two-hour minimum), and a $100 nonprofit hourly rate is among the new fees in the 2016–2017 fee schedule that the La Mesa City Council unanimously approved on April 26; that vote included vice mayor Bill Baber's recommendation to not raise the cost of dog licenses by $1.

The proposed 2016–2017 schedule made no change to the $19 cost for a one-year license for an altered dog. In addition, the council vote maintains the current fees of $32 for a two-year license and $42 for a three-year license for altered canines. Licenses for unaltered dogs will remain $42 for one year, $67 for two years, and $80 for three years.

The decision to keep license fees at the current amounts followed discussion about the desire to promote canine adoptions and referred to the January 26, 2016, council vote to raise the number of dogs allowed from two to five in a single-family home.

The city issued 1306 dog licenses during the 2014–2015 fiscal year, according to a May 4 email from assistant city manager Yvonne Garrett. During the 2015 calendar year, 1239 dogs were licensed, and the city "has not seen a noticeable increase” in licenses since the council raised the amount of dogs allowed.

La Mesa contracts with El Cajon for animal-shelter services, and some 2016–2017 fees reflect El Cajon's rates. La Mesa's current $175 shelter–impound fee will be changed to $40 for the first impound occurrence, $60 for the second, and $80 for the third. The fee for relinquishing dogs and cats drops from $96 to $55, and the daily shelter–boarding fee is reduced from $26 to $8.

Animal-related fees were discussed during a 2015 La Mesa town-hall meeting when a woman objected to the fee for impounding feral cats. (My story about the meeting included an interview with Carol. She tried to save a feral feline family that was injured in a vehicular accident. Carol adopted the surviving kitten and provided a recent picture of the cat she named Cleo).

At the meeting, city officials explained that the formula for updating fees during odd-numbered years is based on the percent change in a department or division budget. During even-numbered years, a study is done and used to adjust fees. MGT of America, Inc., conducted the current study.

Furthermore, city staff did a region-wide study and found that no other entities charge for impounding stray cats. La Mesa currently charges $79, but there will be no fee after June 30.

The fee schedule included information about the vicious-dog hearings conducted by the police chief and animal-control officer. Hearings "determine the status of potentially dangerous dogs. Dog owners who successfully go through the process" pay shelter fees "and are potentially required to provide additional safeguards for housing" the animal. There is no charge for hearings "so as to not add a further financial burden to dog owners."

Garrett said the city held three vicious-dog hearings in 2015. All cases involved dog bites, and the investigations and hearings found the canines were “considered dangerous dogs" per the municipal code.

There's currently no fee for commercial haunted houses, and an online search showed that there was one at Grossmont Center in 2013. The 2016–2017 schedule requires a $162 permit for a commercial house, including “any area or room at a carnival, party, or similar event for the purpose of creating a maze to amuse, confuse, or frighten participants."

In a recent interview, senior management analyst Lyn Dedmon said this was “technically not a new fee.” A previous fee was removed by the former fire marshal, and the fire department put the fee back in the schedule.