Citing ongoing problems with illegal deer feeding, the town of Ellicott is looking at passing an ordinance that would prohibit the feeding of wild animals.

On Monday, the Ellicott Town Board discussed one avenue to curb the feeding of wildlife. For months, residents of Price Street have complained that food is being left out that is attracting deer and other animals.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is aware of the complaints and has looked into claims that the owners of one Price Street home are feeding deer, which is illegal under New York state law.

Town Councilman Robert White brought up the idea of a town ordinance to address wildlife feeding throughout Ellicott.

“We have an issue on Price Street, but I think we also have an issue as a town with regard to DEC not having jurisdiction over feeding any other animals besides deer and bear,” White said. “So, what we have is we’re exposed to a situation where anybody can feed rodents, ducks, foxes, skunks, anything.”

He added, “The DEC will do nothing about it, so I think we have an obligation to make sure that we have a code that protects neighborhoods from starting to decay as a result of excessive feeding. It’s happening on Price and I think we need to take the steps so that we can fix this problem, not just for Price but for the entire town.”

White referenced an ordinance Suffolk County adopted in 2020 that prohibits the feeding of wildlife. He said the board can modify the ordinance to better suit the town.

Suffolk County’s ordinance, in part, states, “The feeding of wild animals is disruptive to the natural feeding habits and digestive health of those animals. This Legislature finds that the feeding of wild animals creates a dependency on human interaction for sustenance, making them more likely to gather in large numbers and exhibit aggressive behavior. This Legislature determines that over a period of time wild animals which are fed by people tend to become both a public and private nuisance and present a public health concern for the communities affected.

This Legislature further determines that the population of wildlife increases in areas where they are intentionally fed, which creates an unsafe environment for both the wild animals and residents. This Legislature also finds that it is in the best interest of both the wild animals and the residents of Suffolk County to prohibit the feeding of wildlife.

“Therefore, the purpose of this article is to prohibit the feeding of wild animals in Suffolk County.”

White noted that Suffolk County’s ordinance still allows bird feeders. “I think it’s a perfect example that we should really consider making part of the town ordinance,” he said.

Marilyn Fiore-Lehman, town attorney, said she will put together a draft ordinance for town board members to review. The ordinance, she said, would just need a majority vote by council members to pass.

Claims of illegal deer feeding in West Ellicott are well-documented.

A year ago, the state DEC sent a letter of warning to the Price Street homeowners, stating that the intentional feeding of deer — or even the incidental feeding of deer — was illegal in New York. A department spokesman said its Division of Law Enforcement had fielded “subsequent reports” regarding the reported placement of food and additional deer feeding at the same location.

“DEC takes violations of New York State Conservation Law very seriously and will continue closely monitoring the situation on Price Street,” the spokesman told The Post-Journal in January.

“As previously mentioned, feeding deer, whether intentionally or incidentally, negatively affects deer behavior, leading to increased social conflict among deer, habituation of deer to human presence, and alteration of migratory movements to critical wintering areas. Importantly, supplemental feeding can increase deer populations above ecologically sustainable levels, resulting in significant harm to local biodiversity and forest health.”

One homeowner in August 2022 told members of the Ellicott Town Board that the property in question was “completely infested by rodents.” The resident also stated that a skunk had found its way into her home, requiring her to replace living room furniture.

White said he has received calls from homeowners outside Price Street regarding rodents in the area. “I think we got to do something about it; we have to do something so that it doesn’t happen again somewhere else in town,” he said.