Deer Overpopulation: Working to Address a Regional Issue in Farmington Hills
Community Invited to Hear from Experts at City Council Study Session on March 24
As the overpopulation of deer in Farmington Hills and Southeast Michigan becomes of increasing concern, the City of Farmington Hills is working with partners across Southeast Michigan to find a way to address this regional issue.
The City of Farmington Hills is one of more than 25 communities and organizations working together as part of the Southeast Michigan Urban Deer Coalition. The Coalition, which was formed in 2021 as the Oakland County Community Deer Coalition, has since expanded to include communities from several counties, including Wayne and Washtenaw, as well as statewide organizations, including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“To manage the urban deer herd, we must work together to have a lasting impact,” said Farmington Hills Mayor Theresa Rich. “We are pleased to be working closely with regional leaders as we lay the groundwork for a future strategy.”
Over the past few years, City leaders in Farmington Hills have been learning from experts at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as well as the University of Michigan. Farmington Hills City Council members have also been sharing this knowledge with their counterparts in other Oakland County communities.
In March 2024, the City of Farmington Hills hosted Chad Stewart, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) deer, elk and moose management specialist, to share his expertise at a meeting of the South Oakland County Mayor’s Association (SOCMA). Representatives from Oakland County Executive’s office and 11 other Oakland County communities, including Southfield, attended the meeting to gain insight on how to address the issue with a regional approach.
“In 2022, more than 60% of Southfield residents voted to cull the urban deer herd, but the reality is, unless we take a coordinated, regional approach, any action would only be a temporary solution to a persistent problem,” City of Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver said after the SOCMA meeting in 2024. “We’re grateful to the City of Farmington Hills for bringing area leaders together to strategize on this longstanding issue.”
In 2022, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) conducted a “Pulse of the Region” survey to collect perspectives on deer from Michiganders. The goal of the survey was to get a sense of how community members were feeling about deer and to share those findings with Southeast Michigan communities, as they work to determine potential strategies and plan initiatives to address challenges and concerns associated with deer. The SEMCOG data indicated that approximately 73% of Farmington Hills residents have concerns related to deer overpopulation.
One of the main concerns related to deer overpopulation in an urban setting like Farmington Hills, is an increase in car-deer crashes. In 2023, there were nearly 288,000 car-deer crashes in Michigan and more than 2,100 of those were in Oakland County, according to the Transportation Improvement Authority. In Farmington Hills, there were 144 reported crashes involving deer in 2023 – an 18% increase over 2022. Community members have also expressed concerns related to deer having a negative impact on their landscaping and potential exposure to diseases, such as Lyme disease.
At a study session on Monday, March 24, Farmington Hills City Council will hear a presentation highlighting key information and data regarding urban deer management in Southeast Michigan, potential regional solutions and best practices. Community members are invited to attend the study session to learn along with City Council. There will not be an opportunity for public comment during the study session and the City Council will not be making any decisions about how to move forward at that time.
The study session will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 24 at Farmington Hills City Hall, located at 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road.
Speakers will include a subject matter expert from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, master’s students from the University of Michigan and City staff. Study sessions are not broadcast on cable or YouTube, which means those interested in learning from the experts will need to attend in person.
The presentation will include a breakdown of relevant data, including car-deer crashes, impacts of deer overpopulation on the environment, best practices for managing urban deer populations and costs associated with these management practices. The presentation will also review success stories from other Michigan communities and organizations that are working to manage deer overpopulation, as well as share a draft resolution for action across the region.
After the March 24 study session, community members who wish to share their input with City Council members may stay for the regular City Council meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m. to speak during the public comment portion near the end of the meeting. Each person will have a maximum of three minutes to address members of City Council. Community members may also share their input by attending any City Council meeting, typically held the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7:30 p.m., even if City Council will not be discussing deer overpopulation at that meeting.
Community members who wish to share their input but are not able to attend a City Council meeting in person, may submit written comments to the City Clerk’s Office to be shared with City Council members by emailing FHClerk@fhgov.com.