Unleashed dogs on Danville City Council agenda

Danville Police Chief Philip Broadfoot is asking City Council to make an amendment to one of the city’s animal ordinances during its meeting Tuesday night at the Municipal Building.

Broadfoot, in his summary to City Council, said unclear language about what constitutes who the “owner” of a dog running at large is has resulted in confusion in court cases, because people who are watching dogs for a friend or relative are claiming they are not the actual owner, and the ordinance says only the owner can be charged.

The proposed new ordinance clearly states that someone who has an animal in his or her care can be charged with the same offenses as the actual owner.

Also on the agenda is a request from a Richmond development group that is planning to build a commercial development near Danville Regional Medical Center, on the south side of South Main Street at the intersection of Stokes Street.

Area Development Group Inc. is also asked to purchase two adjacent properties: a .809-acre surplus right-of-way and an unused .063 acre alley, both owned by the city.

Danville City Council is being asked to approve the property transfer, for a purchase price of $60,000.

A possible savings for curbside recycling customers will also be up for a vote.

Rick Drazenovich, Danville’s public works director, told City Council members about the plan at the Jan. 17 work session, explaining that the cost of the collection, processing and transportation of the recyclable goods has been offset by their sale, and he proposes to pass that savings along to the users of the service.

Drazenovich wants to reduce the annual fee from $260 to $195.

City Council will also vote on a new initiative at Public Works to sell used, 95-gallon trash carts to customers for $20 each. Drazenovich said the trash trucks are fitted with apparatus that can automatically empty such carts, which will make trash pickups quicker and save money.

City Council will also hear from Earl Reynolds, the city’s community development director. He is presenting a list of priority projects he wants to submit to the West Piedmont Planning District Commission’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Priority Projects list.

This plan is updated annually, and makes it possible for the city to apply for funding for projects from the state’s Economic Development Administration.

The priority projects include several phases of development at the mega park site, site improvements at Cane Creek Centre, improvements at Danville Regional Airport and utilities projects.

The work session immediately following the regular meeting is slated for further discussion on the city’s 2013 budget.