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I need help please!!

1K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  kweigel89 
#1 ·
Hello,

My name is Kelsey and I live in Unincorporated Whittier, CA. My mother purchased two horses back in April, and they are doing fine! However, we have been battling with people who apparently don't like that we have horses! We live on a small residential private street but we are allowed to have horses. Someone called animal control on us, making false claims. Animal control came out, said our horses are extremely well taken care of and went on there way. Now these people have called the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning about "Land Use and Zoning." We were informed that our property isn't big enough to have horses, yet the Animal Control said our stables are plenty big for our horses, it is just our physical lot/property isn't big enough.

The personnel that came out said we could possible find a grandfather clause or some loop hole so that we could beat this and keep our horses on our property, but he is officially not allowed to point us in the right direction.

So I am here asking for your help! If you live in the area or just know more, we could appreciate your help! Any information regarding laws, or clauses!

Our horses are very well taken care of, and get daily exercise and someone wants to take them away from us!


Thank you so much, for reading this and helping us!
 
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#2 ·
I would talk to a lawyer and or a city planner they might be the best option to look at but i don't really know what a grandfather clause is. Maybe go to your local government officials, ask for the land zoning laws and take that to a lawyer I really don't know but those are a few ideas good luck.
 
#3 ·
Your land has to be zoned to allow horses. Even though you say you take great care of them, you can't have them if your property is not zoned for horses. You should talk to your city court and see. Otherwise you're going to need to board. The general minimum is one acre per horse. I'm not sure if it goes per state though.
 
#5 ·
It's all about zoning. That kind of information is probably available on the deed to your property. I don't think that Animal Control looks for zoning compliance, just for animal welfare/safety stuff, so take what they say about whether you can legally have whatever critters on your land with a grain of salt. If your property isn't correctly zoned for horses or livestock, you'll have to board (not the end of the world, just not as convenient or preferable to having them at home, IMO).

Makes me glad I live on a farm, and I would need binoculars to see my nieghbors' houses (and then, why would I want to??)! Good luck!
 
#6 ·
I know that in San Diego Cali, its I believe one horse per half acre, and something about an exception if you live on a trail system or something, but don't quote me on that. I would talk to a lawyer or a land person, see what you are zoned to have, and look back a ways too. Not sure what they mean by grandfather clause, but I do know that there are a lot of places in Poway that were originally zoned for livestock, or horses, but as the city has grown, thats kind of been forgotten, or not looked for by the person buying the older house. I train a horse up in Bonsall, and her neighbor ended up doing the same thing. She is zoned and allowed to have horses as long as it is not a commercial business, basically as long as she doesn't board, and she was fine for a while, but then a new person bought the house below hers, and complained, so even though she's legally allowed and zoned to have horses, she's had to spend a lot of money and time redoing her property to the specifications of the city, and had everything signed off ect., even though she had done nothing wrong, and it was her property. The arena that she had she just had to redo and get the city to sign off as done "correctly". Hopefully it all works out for you, and you can get your neighbor off your tail, and be fine having your horses at home. It is such a joy to have them in your backyard.
 
#7 ·
We are zoned for horses, but our land/property size isn't big enough for a single horse. However, all the houses around here sit on lots that are not big enough either. And a few of these people have horses as well. The people that lived in our house 20 years ago had horses, so that is why we are trying to see if there is some amendment, or clause that will allow us to keep them, despite our lot size being 3,000sqft under the limit. The zoning guy hinted to us that there might be a way around it, since we are zoned for horses but we don't have a big enough piece of property. Our stable is big enough for more than 2 horses, it is just that are property is 3,000sqft less than what is required for one horse.

Our horses are exercised daily, and we go trail riding on the trails that are about 1 mile away. So they aren't mistreated in regards to boarding, exercise, any of that.


Thanks for all the advice so far.
 
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