After years of complaints about an "unsustainable" number of deer in Roseville, the city will hire sharpshooters for the first time to thin the herd.
The move follows a wildlife management ordinance passed in 2015 that imposed a deer feeding ban amid a rising tide of griping about issues such as damage to garden plants.
Approval to move ahead with the hunting passed the City Council on a voice vote earlier this week, with one council member — Tammy McGehee — abstaining.
"Part of the damage to peoples' property could be the unintended consequence of people not being able to feed them, so they move on to the hosta and the rhubarb," McGehee said. "If you are that upset, move somewhere else."
Other council members, though, said they hear a lot of complaints.
"I love the nature we have here," said Council Member Jason Etten, "but our natural system is out of balance and we need to step in and control it."
Reports that deer in some cases are "standing their ground" when people approach, rather than turning tail and racing off, are troubling, he said.
A staff memo to the council reported that City Hall continues "to receive complaints and deer counts show the deer population in Roseville is unsustainable."