19.31.020 Animal keeping standards.

The following standards shall apply to the keeping of animals in all districts in order to ensure that animals are maintained in a manner compatible with surrounding uses:

(A) Maintenance.

(1) All buildings housing animals, all animal enclosures and all pasture areas shall be maintained free from litter, garbage and the accumulation of manure.

(2) The premises shall be maintained in a neat and sanitary manner.

(3) Reasonable measures shall be taken by the owners of animals subject to these provisions to ensure that noise, odors, flies, vermin and other nuisances related to animal keeping do not negatively impact adjacent properties.

(4) If animals are not maintained in compliance with these standards, or are otherwise allowed to become a nuisance, the city shall initiate enforcement proceedings as provided by Chapter 19.02, Enforcement and Penalties.

(B) Permitted Animals.

(1) Pets. Domestic creatures commonly sold in pet stores and kept as household pets may be kept upon any lot in any zone where the principal use upon such lot is residential, so long as animals do not constitute a nuisance and are adequately provided with food, care and sanitary facilities.

(2) Livestock. Large animals, including equines, bovines, sheep, and goats, but excluding swine, may be kept for personal purposes where "livestock keeping" is permitted as an accessory use in each underlying zoning district.

(3) Other animals, including those of a species normally considered wild, may be kept in any nonresidential zone upon approval of a use permit in each case and provided that adequate space is available and that the animals are confined in a secure enclosure that precludes a risk to the public and that keeping such species of animal is not prohibited by the laws of the State of California or the United States of America.

(4) Anyone keeping an animal that is of a species for which a license or permit to keep such animal is required by state or federal law must have the license or permit present upon the property and at a reasonable day and time allow the Code Enforcement Officer of the city to view that license or permit and to verify that the animals are being kept in compliance with any and all conditions of the license or permit.

(5) Indemnification and Notification Policy. In conjunction with the furnishing of evidence of compliance with the laws of the State of California or the United States of America, any person keeping an animal subject to this Section 19.31.020(B)(4) shall notify the city of the keeping of such animal and indemnify and hold harmless the city, its elected and appointed officials, employees and agents in a manner satisfactory as to form and content to the city attorney.

(6) Insurance. In addition to the indemnification requirements of Section 19.31.020(B)(5), any person keeping an animal subject to Section 19.31.020(B)(4) shall maintain at all times during the keeping of such animal an insurance policy from an underwriter acceptable to the city's risk manager and authorized to do business in the State of California naming the city, its elected and appointed officials, employees and agents as additional insures in an amount of not less than one million dollars per occurrence in a manner satisfactory as to form and content to the city attorney.

(C) Minimum Lot Size. A minimum lot area of twenty thousand square feet is required for livestock keeping, as defined by Chapter 19.05, Use Classifications, at least seventy-five percent of which is accessible to and usable by the large animal(s).

(D) Setbacks. All buildings and areas used to house or confine nondomestic animals, including barns, stables, lofts, coops, corrals, pens, feed areas, paddocks, uncovered stables and similar enclosures and accessory structures shall be located behind residence on the lot and shall maintain side and setbacks in accordance with the underlying zone district. Additionally, such areas or structures shall maintain a distance of fifty (50) feet from any off-site structure used for human occupancy or habitation. Structures related to the keeping of horses shall be located no closer than fifty (50) feet to any property line, closer than fifty (50) feet to any dwelling on the site, or closer than one hundred feet to any other dwellings.

(E) Disclosure. Where development or subdivision of property is proposed to occur adjacent to an area where "livestock keeping" is permitted as an accessory use in the underlying zoning district, the deeds of properties included in such development or subdivision shall contain notification of possible livestock keeping on adjacent property.

(F) Pre-Existing Animal Keeping. Any property upon which animal keeping existed and was ongoing at the time of adoption of the animal keeping regulations and which did not comply with the minimum lot size or setback standards is considered legal conforming and may continue to exist providing there can be no increase in the number of animals or the amount of nonconformance with setback and lot size requirements.