Millbrae is considering a ban on public bird feeding in the interest of the safety of airline passengers.
The proposed ban also is designed to protect passengers at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), where reports of planes clashing into birds have caused damages to the aircrafts.
There have been 120 bird strikes at the airport -- 12 of which caused damage to planes -- reported in the last 18 months, officials said.
People feeding birds at the Millbrae BART station and other public areas attract large numbers of birds, many of which then fly right into the flight path at SFO.
So the Millbrae City Council on Tuesday night heard an ordinance that would ban the feeding of birds in public places.
"We are all reminded of the seriousness of bird strikes when we recall the commercial liner that Sully Sullenberger had to land in the Hudson River, " said Councilmember Robert Gottschalk.
Some at the council meeting had questions about the specifics of the ordinance.
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Beverly Maschio, a backyard bird lover, was one of them.
"It sounded like the ordinance was prohibiting backyard birders from feeding birds. I don't see where that would be an issue," she said.
Ann Schneider is concerned about the scope of the bird-feeding ban.
"Does that mean eagles over by 280? Does that mean feeding birds at the park near my house? I couldn't tell from the ordinance," Schneider said.
Millbrae Police Chief Ed Barberini said the ordinance is necessary to allow the city to post signs at the BART station, and perhaps other locations, to show feeding birds is illegal. But don't expect a heavy police presence enforcing the law.
"We really have no strategic enforcement plan for feeding birds," he said. "Just trying to make things safer."
First-time offenders could be fined up to $100. The council will vote on the proposal next week.
