City moves forward with barking-dog ordinance
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

The Camarillo City Council has introduced an ordinance reducing the number of complainants needed against neighbors with excessively loud barking dogs.

Previously, the law stated that a minimum of two people had to make the complaint. The new ordinance, which passed 50 during last Wednesday's meeting, specifies that only one person is needed to file a complaint with the Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation.

"We found a middle ground between those two," said City Manager Jerry Bankston. "Hopefully, it will work."

The ordinance must be read a second time during the next meeting, Wed., Jan. 9, before it can go into effect 30 days later.

John Carter, an 11-year resident of Camarillo, captured the council's interest this summer when he collected about 200 signatures on a petition to change the ordinance.

Carter said he had a problem with a neighbor's loud dog about 10 years ago but hasn't had a problem since the neighbor moved away.

About a year ago, another of Carter's neighbors had trouble with an annoying dog and asked for Carter's support.

He agreed to help, but the poundmaster ruled that Carter lived too far away from the noise and didn't count as the second party required to bring the matter to a public hearing.

"At that point, I felt the ordinance really needed to be changed," Carter said.

The new ordinance states that there can be one complaint with special circumstances, such as topography, placement of structures and location of animals. The poundmaster, Kathy Jenks, will conduct an investigation to determine if the animal should be moved to a place where it doesn't disturb the peace of a neighbor. In extreme cases, such as repeated offenses, fines can be assessed. Eventually, an animal could be impounded by animal control.

"We felt the ordinance wasn't adequate," Mayor Charlotte Craven said. "Our attorney (Brian Pierik) did a great job . . . coming up with the new language." Carter agreed. "The dog-barking problem is just part of a bigger problem," he said. "There is alienation and isolation that exists between people who live in the same neighborhood. You can just move in next door . . . and be isolated and uncaring."