Franklin County Commissioners schedule public hearings for rule changes

            County commissioners will consider updates to its animal control ordinance and to its littering ordinance at its second meeting in April.

County officials agreed to amend the two ordinances last year; the county attorney has been working on the changes and said they should be ready for a public hearing on April the 19^th.

The animal control ordinance was last changed in 2006 and officials say it needs to be brought up to date.       

As part of the update the county will create an interlocal agreement with the cities of Carrabelle and Apalachicola so the county animal control department can operate within the city limits.

The County litter ordinance was enacted in 1997 and sets penalties for people found dumping trash on public or private property in the county, as well as in local waterways.

The county is in the process of updating some of the penalties in the rule so that homeowners who are cited are not immediately facing a criminal charge for littering.

Under the amended rule the penalties on some of the larger offenses will include civil penalties before they become criminal charges. 

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