The Syracuse Common Council may soon throw its support behind state legislation that would allow the City of Syracuse to expand its urban deer management program.
The legislation would modify current state law, and only property owners within 250 feet of a culling location will need to approve the action, rather than property owners within 500 feet.
Syracuse Chief Policy Officer Greg Loh urged the council to issue its support. He said the legislation goes hand-in-hand with action the members have already taken.
"The council has authorized and supported three prior seasons of deer management work in the city," Loh said. "It has been conducted safely and effectively and we are starting to see an overall decline in deer population in the city, which is a good development.”
However, Loh said more progress is needed and the legislation can help open new areas of the city to deer management.
Deer overpopulation can lead to an increased threat of Lyme disease.
Loh said a new proposed collaboration with the Thangamani Institute for a “data sharing agreement” would help monitor how many people are affected by tickborne Lyme disease in the region.
“We think getting access to that date from Upstate will help us in continuing to present to the county why funding for this work is critical," Loh said.
The goal is not to eradicate all the deer in the area but to balance their population, Loh said, due to the population declining but still in excess.
The council will meet again Tuesday.
