Ordinance requiring pet waste cleanup unlikely

In January, the City of Mountain Brook explored how similar communities across the state deal with the issue of requiring residents to clean up pet waste. After reviewing the results, members of the City Council decided the best thing to do was absolutely nothing.

"I don't think it's our business to make laws about people's personal responsibilities," Council member Amy Carter said. "I don't like creating something we can't enforce and don't plan on enforcing."

Council members said they believed Mountain Brook residents are aware that it's their responsibility to pick up after their pets and that creating a city ordinance is unnecessary. However, Council President Virginia Smith said continuing with the City's education campaign on the issue is important.

"I'm fine not passing an ordinance, but I do think it makes sense to have more community education that says [residents are] supposed to clean up after dogs."

In other business during the work session and regular meeting on Jan. 13, the Council:

• Approved City Manager Sam Gaston and Police Chief Ted Cook to set meetings with residents in two areas where requests have been made to add traffic control measures. 

Residents recently requested speed control measures be implemented on Fairmont Drive. Cook said the police department conducted studies of traffic from Lorena Lane and Euclid Avenue in December and found no reason to add the measures.

"Only seven of the 1,111 vehicles were traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit and none of those were more than 15 mph over," Cook's report read.

"We just don't have any data that indicates a need where we would normally request them," Cook told the Council.

Residents also recently requested a three-way stop be installed at the intersection of Dexter Avenue and West Montcrest. Cook said he didn't believe adding the signs was necessary, but the Council approved Gaston and Cook to hold meetings with residents in the area to hear their concerns.

• Approved fiscal transfers in the 2013 budget of $4 million from the General Fund into the Capital Project Fund, $2 million from the Infrastructure Capital Projects Fund to the General Fund and $69,823.58 from the Park Board Fund into the Emergency Reserve Fund.