The ground squirrel problem at Beattie Park in Lompoc is so bad that the city Parks and Recreation Department had to close the parking lot because “the integrity of the asphalt has been compromised,” according to a city staff report.
“There’s hundreds,” Parks and Recreation Manager Mario Guerrero said of the ground squirrels. “The problem is now, it’s become kind of like feeding the ducks. Where people are going and feeding the ground squirrels, and they’re bringing their kids.”
Parks and Recreation roped off the parking lot, and put signs up warning people against feeding the animals. The situation is dire enough, Guerrero said, that his department went to the city attorney to see what they could do about addressing the issue with an ordinance to prohibit feeding wild animals in the city’s public spaces. On Aug. 17, the Lompoc City Council voted on the first reading of that ordinance after the Sun went to press.
“There’s people up there with little 3- or 4-year-olds, and they’re almost eating out of their hands. It’s crazy,” he said. “And a few of the older seniors, it’s kind of like their daily ritual, and we try to tell people that it’s not really appropriate.”
Feeding wild animals is considered harassment under state law, according to a city staff report, because it disrupts an animal’s normal patterns. While people who feed wildlife usually “have good intentions,” the staff report states, the activity can cause a loss of foraging skills, cause a loss of fear of humans, disrupt the natural balance, and create a nuisance.
“This is currently being experienced at Beattie Park where the squirrels come dangerously close to the public utilizing the park, putting both animals and humans at risk of harm,” the staff report says.
If the proposed ordinance passes, it will prohibit feeding wild animals such as ground squirrels, birds, and gophers, in city parks and on public property. Guerrero said the city can then lean on that ordinance to warn people about potential violations and issue fines ($25 for the first violation, $100 for a second within a 12-month period, and $500 after that) or criminal citations.
Ground squirrels and gophers have always been a problem in Lompoc, Guerrero said, but not to the extent they currently are a Beattie Park. Over the last six to eight months, the issue has gotten worse. He attributed that in part to having more people at the park because of its new playground, which has drawn more residents to use the facilities.
Lompoc is currently in the process of trapping the ground squirrels and relocating them to Ken Adam Park. Once that’s done, Guerrero said Parks and Recreation will look into what it will take to make the parking lot safe again.
This article appears in Aug 19-26, 2021.
