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PROTESTS DO WORK • After the Levan City Council received a petition protesting the proposed animal control facility on Levan City Property south of the Levan DUP Cabin, the council decided to look elsewhere for property to house the facility. Photo Rebecca Dopp

Not in my backyard!

That seemed to be the consensus of a group of petitioners who were protesting the proposed location of the Levan Animal Control Shelter. The proposed site is on city property, approximately 1st West and Center, southwest of the DUP cabin.

Sherman Petersen presented a petition to the Levan Town Council consisting of 93 names of people who did not favor building the shelter in the middle of a residential neighborhood, citing that there would be noise, unhealthy conditions, and it would be a nuisance to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and their cabin. Neighbors also feared that it would devalue their properties.

"A building of this kind should not be built right in the middle of a residential area," said Petersen.

He said that everyone who was approached to sign the petition did so without question. Joyce Justet obtained the signatures of the DUP members.

"An animal shelter is not going to fit in," said Justet when talking about the downtown area of Levan: the store, post office, church and town hall. She said she'd like to see it built elsewhere.

Petersen said that of those who signed the petition all were in favor of having a shelter, just not in a place where if dogs were dumped off they could possibly cause injury to people or pets or become a nuisance.

He said that he had contacted other towns and cities and was told that they would never put an animal shelter in a residential neighborhood and those who did were "crazy".

Council member Paul Mangelson suggested that the town look into other sites that would be more appropriate such as up Pigeon Creek or northwest of the park.

Mayor Bob Shepherd said that wherever the site would be it would need to have power and water and be secure.

Council member Brian Ercanbrack, who had overseen this project for over a year, stated that the council had put a lot of thought into this, and he had done his homework, visiting other shelters and talking to Nephi's animal control officer.

"I didn't take into consideration the dumping of dogs, though" he admitted.

He said that all the shelters he had been to, to walk inside was deafening, but outside was quiet and the sanitary conditions were fine.

He said his concern was that the council had talked about this for over a year, the plans had gone through Planning and Zoning, they'd already made considerations by moving it from the street to as far back to the fence as they could go, and they'd already called for bids.

Petersen said that if Levan wanted to be a "good neighbor" then they should move the location. His comment was met by a smattering of applause.

Ercanbrack said that the cost of the building was going to be substantial, and that one of the reasons they looked at this site was that power and water were already available.

"If we look it out towards the park, then we'll have to pay to extend services, and it's going to…this won't be a money making deal," said Ercanbrack.

He said his preference was that everyone would take care of their animals, and then they wouldn't have to build a shelter. Levan does have a leash law ordinance, but cannot enforce it because there isn't anywhere to house the dogs and Nephi City will not pick them up.

Petersen said that the council should listen to the voices of the people and move the shelter elsewhere, even if it meant having the added expense.

"You should do it the right way," he said.

The council decided that they would find a better location and a unanimous vote was taken.

"Thank you," Petersen said gratefully.