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City of Missoula, Montana Item to be Referred to City Council Committee Committee: Conservation Committee Item: General Amendment to City of Missoula Title 9, Discharging Weapons Date: October 15, 2010 Prepared by: Jackie Corday Initiated by: Parks & Recreation Department and City Park Board Actions Required: -Set a public hearing for consideration of amending an ordinance to allow bow hunting on certain lands - Adopt the ordinance amendment Recommended Motion for November 8th: I move to set a public hearing for December 6, 2010 to consider adoption of an ordinance amendment to Chapter 9.62.050 Missoula Municipal Code entitled "Discharging Weapons" to allow for bow hunting on certain lands approved by the land owner and Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks. Recommended Motion for December 6th: I move the City Council approve the general amendment to Chapter 9.62, Discharging Weapons Ordinance, as shown in the attached Exhibit A. Timeline: Referral to committee: October 21, 2010 Committee discussion: November 3, 2010 Council acts to set hearing: November 8, 2010 Public hearing: December 6, 2010 Background and Alternatives Explored: When the city purchased the 80 acre Wilbert parcel in 2001 and the adjacent 40 acre Simon parcel in 2004 (together known as the Tower Street Conservation Area), the surrounding residents informed the City how important it was to them that the City continue to allow bow hunting on the 120 acres. Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) concurred with the residents that the long and wide riparian corridor that is connected to Kelly Island (700+ acres) provides an excellent local hunting experience and they have managed a bow hunting season between October 1 and January 15th since the City has owned the property. The property will soon be annexed into the City, which will make it subject to the prohibition against discharging arrows under Chapter 9.62.050. Thus, in order to allow bow hunting to continue, the ordinance needs to be amended to allow an exception for hunts approved and managed by FWP. We have drafted the language to be flexible so that potentially other locations may be made available for bow hunting. Financial Implications: None Attachments: Exhibit A – proposed ordinance amendment