MONTEGO BAY, St James — People who raise animals or plan to do so in Montego Bay and some neighbouring communities will require a licence when the city’s geographical limits are gazetted.

That, according to Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon, is included in proposals aimed at reshaping the city’s managerial and governmental framework.

The mayor made the disclosure at a consultation meeting with residents last Thursday at Montego Bay Cultural Centre.

He said the rearing of animals in residential and commercial areas was one of the concerns that they were seeking to tackle with the implementation of the city limits. The thought, though, is not to impose a ban but to regulate the activity to ensure order.

“Those who desire to keep animals within this area will have to apply to the municipal corporation for a licence, which will be granted once the space to keep the animals is adequate, the necessary amenities are in place, and no health hazard or nuisance will arise from the designated space,” Mayor Vernon said.

“The consideration for it to be declared a restricted area for the keeping of animals derives from a surge in complaints about hazards associated with stray animals and reports of nuisance arising from animal rearing under less than ideal conditions,” he explained.

This, he said, had become necessary, given reports made to the relevant authorities in terms of issues arising from those practices.

“In the past two years, approximately 100 complaints have been lodged to the St James Health Service’s Environmental Health Unit, and over 30 cases of hazards associated with stray animals were reported to the St James Municipal Corporation within the past year,” he revealed.

“This approach can provide solutions to extensive reports of goat rearing in Bogue Village, cow raising in Rose Vale and Rhyne Park, and many reports of pig sties situated in the business district and several communities within the proposed limits,” he said.

“There will be enforcement nuances associated with reported crab farming in the community of Catherine Hall or chicken farming in Farm Heights, Mount Salem, and several other residentially zoned areas,” he added.

However, while he highlighted the proposal, he reiterated that individuals could still seek to do their business as long it was done in accordance with the regulations.

“We are not saying you cannot farm; this Government has a robust farming agenda and has promulgated the idea of urban agriculture,” he said. “Still, farming practices cannot be at the expense of good order, peace, safety, a healthy environment and tranquillity within our community.”

Chief public health inspector for St James Shericka Lewis asked the mayor to consider how the disposal of dead animals is treated as part of the city limits framework.

“Animals which are kept in insanitary conditions are a nuisance and we are seeing where persons fail to accept the fact that a dead animal belongs to them; so the carcass of a dead animal that is not disposed of or destroyed within 24 hours of that animal dying is a nuisance under the Public Health Nuisance Regulation and has a fine of up to $1 million or 12 months in prison,” she explained.

Overall, the mayor explained that the recognition of the city limits will do far more than dealing with the keeping of animals and those related functions.

He said that it will look at a variety of things that will make Montego Bay the city it needs to be for the betterment of those who who live, work, or travel there.

“By defining clear administrative boundaries we can study population trends, growth and indicators to improve curated services and policies that meet the specific needs of different demographic groups, ensuring that no one is left behind,” he said.

The proposed boundary is set to run from Ironshore in the east to Reading in the west and will take in communities such as Granville, Farm Heights, and other areas.

Vernon said when the boundaries are accepted it will allow “for adequate profiling of population demographics, economic development, infrastructure management, enhanced service delivery, transportation planning, housing and urban development, environmental sustainability, and safety and security”.

In May 2019, then Montego Bay Mayor Homer Davis had announced plans to take a resolution to the next monthly sitting of St James Municipal Corporation to extend the city limit as Montego Bay was bursting at its seams with business structures.

“We have actually exhausted our city limit and so we are seeking to extend our city limit. It is a resolution that should come to our council for June meeting,” Davis said at the monthly meeting of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He called on the business community to begin looking outside the city for further investments.

“Montego Bay as a city, it has been growing in a way that you can hardly find space. There is hardly a piece of land in Montego Bay that you can look to put up a footprint 100,000 square feet of building, to accommodate for parking and that thing. And so it is time that the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and your members start looking beyond our city limit,” Davis said at the time.