On Tuesday, December 5, the Los Gatos Town Council will vote on a wildlife-friendly fencing ordinance. Please come to the meeting or email the Town Council to voice your support for protecting wildlife!

What’s Happening:

The Los Gatos Town Council will be considering an ordinance that will require all fencing farther than 30 feet from the house to be wildlife-friendly (with exceptions for fencing around swimming pools, sports courts, vegetable gardens, livestock enclosures, etc.). This would apply only in the hillside areas of Los Gatos, where there is habitat for wildlife such as deer, bobcats, and foxes.

Meeting info:

Tuesday, December 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Town Council Chambers

110 E. Main St.

Los Gatos, CA 95030

Why this is important:

When homeowners build 8-foot-tall chain-link or board fences along the perimeter of their property, deer and other animals are forced out into roadways, posing a danger both to themselves and to motorists. Animals must migrate in search of food, water and mates; as the population of the Bay Area has expanded, residential areas have pushed out into what was formerly undisturbed wildlife habitat, blocking established wildlife movement corridors.

Requiring homeowners to leave room for animals to migrate is a simple compromise that permits humans and wildlife to coexist. Homeowners often choose to live in less-developed areas precisely because they value the ability to see wildlife moving through their neighborhood. By restricting impermeable fences to areas close to homes, human/animal conflicts are reduced and nature is allowed to thrive.