(7/20) The Town Council passed amendments to two pieces of town code, effective August 1, regarding Chapter 43, entitled "Animals" and Chapter 90, entitled "Parks." Both ordinances passed unanimously and with no discussion at the July 25 town meeting.
The ordinance added one sentence to Section 90-26 "Ponies, horses and the like" to the town code. The Commissioners added "Ponies and horses are prohibited in the Town Parks, Ball Fields, and Trolley Trail, unless a permit has been granted" to number one of this section. The following sentence will remain the same in this chapter.
Thurmont Mayor John Kinnaird said this was the "main" update to this chapter when reviewing the ordinances at the July 25 meeting. "It was just created for clarity," Thurmont Lieutenant P. Allen Droneburg said. The ordinance also updated the page numbers.
"I think this is an issue that we have had trouble with over the last few years, to keep horses from trampling our parks, whether it’s our play areas or playing fields," Kinnaird said. Commissioner Wes Hamrick added that it is an issue with all pets and their owners.
The town also approved multiple amendments to Chapter 43 of the town code entitled "Animals". On the index page, the word "Domestic" was removed from Article II so that it is now entitled "Animals," a change Droneburg called a correction at the June 20 meeting. "Domestic" was also removed under Section 43-10 Definitions and in Article II to leave "Animals."
The Town also removed 43-10.4 Livestock from the code under definitions. "Basically, everything is referred to as ‘animals,’" Droneburg said. "We’re not giving them a different definition for clarity of the chapter."
At the June 20 meeting, Hamrick suggested updating the language in Section 43-22.C from masculine pronouns to their and they. The new language was approved at the July 25 meeting. Other amendments involved change in language, whether deleting or adding words.
Article III was also amended to remove "Livestock;" it will now be titled "Enclosures. The requirements for secure enclosures was also updated to require at least a quarter of an acre to house animals, except for dogs and cats.
The commissioners hope these amendments will prevent issues such as the complaints of a house with excessive animal feces described during public comment. This code will not be grandfathered in and those who were are not in compliance as of August 1 can be fined.
