This article is adopted to protect the health,
safety and well-being of persons and property in the Village of Great
Neck Estates by imposing restrictions on the keeping or harboring
of wild or exotic animals within the Village. The Board of Trustees
finds that the harboring or keeping of wild or exotic animals may
be offensive to other residents of the Village so as to constitute
a public nuisance and may pose a threat to persons and property within
and without the Village.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL
Any and all types of animals, both domesticated and wild,
male and female, singular and plural.
HARBOR
To keep or contain upon public or private property or to
permit another to keep or contain upon public or private property.
WILD OR EXOTIC ANIMAL
Any species of animal whose natural or usual habitat is either
in the wild or in a zoo, as opposed to a domesticated environment,
regardless of whether such animal poses an actual or apparent threat
to persons, other animals or property, and any species of animal which,
as a matter of common knowledge, is naturally ferocious, unpredictable,
dangerous and mischievous. The following animals, the ownership of
which is normally legal, and which are normally found within a domesticated
environment, are specifically declared not to be "wild or exotic animals"
subject to regulations under this article: dogs; cats; tropical birds
such as canaries, parakeets, parrots and myna birds; guinea pigs;
gerbils; hamsters; white mice; turtles other than snapping turtles;
tropical fish; and nonpoisonous snakes.
[Amended 11-12-2012 by L.L. No. 12-2012]
No person shall harbor a wild or exotic animal
within the Village of Great Neck Estates, except as permitted by this
article.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, prior to the commencement of any public hearing pursuant to this article, the Board of Trustees may waive the requirement for a public hearing after review of any application for a permit pursuant to this article where the Board makes a determination that each of the criteria in §
86-13A have been met. In such instance, the Village Clerk shall issue the requested permit without conditions, except that such permit shall be subject to revocation by subsequent action of the Board of Trustees, after public hearing held in accordance with the procedural provisions of §
86-12 of this article and after a determination by the Board of Trustees that the criteria set forth in §
86-13A have not been met.
In addition to any other procedure for revocation of permits as provided in this article, the Board of Trustees may at any time, and shall upon written petition of at least 10 residents of the Village, hold a public hearing, on notice to a permit holder and under the same procedure as provided in §
86-12 hereof, to determine whether a permit shall be revoked. After conclusion of such hearing, the Board of Trustees may revoke such permit where the Board finds that the standards for permit approval are not or have not been, or that the conditions of an approval have not been complied with, or impose new or additional conditions where the Board finds the same to be reasonable and appropriate.
All actions of the Mayor or the Board of Trustees
pursuant to this article shall be reviewable pursuant to Article 78
of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, which shall be the exclusive
remedy of persons aggrieved by such action.
Each violation of this article shall be punishable
as provided by law for violations of the Code of the Village of Great
Neck Estates.