13.42.060 - Animal keeping.

The provisions of this section are intended to assist in maintaining the town’s agricultural character while ensuring that the raising and maintenance of animals does not create adverse impacts on adjacent properties by reason of dust, noise, visual blight, odor, bright lights, or insect infestations.

A.    Pre-Existing Uses. Any legally established animal keeping use that became nonconforming upon adoption of this section shall be permitted to continue subject to Chapter 13.72.

B.     Allowable Animal Keeping Activities and Permit Requirements.

1.     Activities and Permit Requirements. Animal keeping, including related animal husbandry activities (breeding, judging, etc.) is allowed only in compliance with the limitations on use and permit requirements in Table 4-1, and as provided by subsection E.

TABLE 4-1 - ALLOWABLE ANIMAL KEEPING AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

       Notes:

       (1)    See Table 4-2 for definitions of small and large animals.

       (2)    Maximum of four hens allowed if property is under one-half acre in size.

2.     Minor Use Permit Requirement. Where Table 4-1 allows a specified animal keeping use subject to minor use permit approval, the purpose of the discretionary review shall include the evaluation of how the proposed animals will be housed and/or confined, and whether the location, size, and design of the area on the site for animal keeping will be adequate to allow compliance with the other standards of this section without unreasonable effort on the part of the animal manager. In approving a minor use permit in compliance with this section, the review authority may limit the maximum number of animals allowed on the site as appropriate to the characteristics of the site, the surrounding land uses, and the species of animals proposed.

C.     Animal Keeping Standards. All animal keeping shall comply with the standards in Table 4-2.

TABLE 4-2 - ANIMAL KEEPING STANDARDS

       Notes:

       (1)    Offspring allowed in addition to maximum number until weaned.

       (2)    Minimum lot area required for the keeping of animals.

       (3)    Minimum setbacks from all property lines for barns, shelters, pens, coops, cages, and other areas and structures where animals are kept in concentrated confinement; but not including areas continuously maintained as pasture. Animals shall not be kept in any required front yard setback except in pasture areas.

       (4)    Guinea hens, peacocks, roosters, swans and geese are prohibited in the RS zoning district.

       (5)    Maximum of four hens allowed if property is under one-half acre in size.

       (6)    Animal slaughtering shall be prohibited in the RS zone.

       (7)    The zoning administrator may reduce required side and rear yard setbacks to as little as zero for large lots after taking into account the lot size, structure size, and use of the proposed animal structure and determining that: (a) the structure will not interfere with emergency vehicle access; (b) the structure will comply with any required setback from dwellings; and (c) the proposed use of the structure will not create a nuisance. A proposed use will be considered to create a nuisance if the use is likely to cause discomfort or annoyance to any reasonable person of normal sensitivity residing in the area.

D.    Maintenance and Operational Standards. All animal keeping shall comply with all of the following maintenance and operational standards.

1.     Odor and Vector Control. All animal enclosures, including, but not limited to, pens, coops, cages and feed areas shall be maintained free from litter, garbage and the accumulation of manure, so as to discourage the proliferation of flies, other disease vectors and offensive odors. Each site shall be maintained in a neat and sanitary manner, and in compliance with Placer County environmental health department and animal control standards.

2.     Containment. All animals shall be effectively contained on the site, and shall not be allowed to run free on any parcel in a separate ownership or in a public right-of-way.

3.     Waterway Protection. The keeping of horses or cattle within fifty feet of any waterway shall first require director approval of a good housekeeping plan to protect the waterway from the polluting effects of runoff from the animal keeping area.

4.     Erosion and Sedimentation Control. In no case shall an animal keeping operation be managed or maintained so as to produce sedimentation on any public road, adjoining property, or in any drainage channel. In the event sedimentation occurs, the keeping of animals outdoors on the site shall be deemed a nuisance and may be subject to abatement.

5.     Noise Control. Animal keeping shall comply with the noise standards established by Section 13.30.070.

6.     Animals must be kept according to local and state animal control welfare laws.

E.     Animal Husbandry Project Exception. The keeping or raising of a calf, horse, goat, sheep, hog, chickens, rabbits, birds or other animals as a 4-H or Future Farmers of America (FFA) project is not subject to the requirements of this section, provided that:

1.     A minimum of one-half acre of site area shall be required for each large animal, hog or swine;

2.     The project animals shall be confined in a pen or fenced area that is located not closer than twenty-five feet to any dwelling other than on the project site; except that a hog or swine shall not be located closer than one hundred feet from any dwelling other than on the project site;

3.     The number of animals complies with the limitations in subsection C; and

4.     The animal keeping complies with the maintenance and operational standards in subsection D.

F.     Kennels and Animal Boarding. Each kennel and other small animal boarding facility shall comply with the following standards:

1.     Minimum Site Area. An animal boarding facility may be approved only on a parcel of 2.3 acres or larger.

2.     Enclosure Within Building. All animal boarding establishments shall have space available for each animal within an entirely enclosed building. Animals shall be kept in an enclosed building from seven p.m. to seven a.m. (nine a.m. on weekends).

3.     Noise Control. The building used for animal boarding shall be insulated, or otherwise constructed and maintained so that no noise from animals within the building is audible at the property line of the site. When the animals are outside of the building, barking or similar noise from the animals shall not occur longer than five minutes over a period of one hour. If the barking or similar noise occurs, as determined by the director from evidence submitted, the administrative citation process may be initiated.

4.     Management. A manager of the facility shall be present on the site at all times. (Ord. 250 § 2, 2012; Ord. 249 §§ 2—4, 2012; Ord. 218 §§ 1, 2, 2005; Ord. 205 § 1 (Exh. A), 2003)