Hillsborough Municipal Code Ch. 6.20 Domestic—other Than Household or Exotic Pets

It is unlawful for any person, firm, company or corporation to keep or maintain, or cause to be kept or maintained, within the town any domestic animal, including, but not necessarily limited to, any horse (except as allowed under Section 6.20.020), mule, donkey, ass, cow, goat (except as allowed under Section 6.20.030), hog, pig or fowl (except as allowed under Chapter 6.24); provided, however, that household pets (examples of which are dogs and cats and the following when kept as household pets and appropriately caged or confined and not otherwise prohibited under Section 6.28.030: rabbits, gerbils, guinea pigs, rats, mice, tropical fish, turtles, lizards and birds) shall not be subject to this prohibition.

(Ord. No. 793, § 5, 2-12-2024)

A. Any person wishing to keep one or more horses within the town shall first obtain a letter of permission to do so from the city manager or the city manager's designee. All applications for permission shall state the number of horses and the acreage of the property on which the horse(s) will be kept and such other information as the city manager or the city manager's designee may require.

B. Such permission shall be granted on the condition that such horse(s) not be or become an annoyance to surrounding residents or property owners and that the applicable provisions of this chapter be complied with. If at any time such horse(s) are or become an annoyance to surrounding residents or property owners or the keeping of such horse(s) is not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter or other applicable law, the city manager or the city manager's designee may revoke the permission to keep the horse(s).

C. No horse shall be kept on a parcel of land less than two acres in size. One or two horses may be kept on a two-acre parcel. For each additional three acres, one additional horse may be kept. (In other words, three horses may be kept on a five-acre parcel; four horses may be kept on an eight-acre parcel.)

D. No horse shall be allowed to run at large upon, or graze or feed upon, any public street, public land or unfenced private land. All horses shall be confined to a barn or stable during the nighttime unless under the direct control of a natural person.

E. Any barn, stable, corral or other enclosure in which the horse or horses are kept shall be located at least two hundred fifty feet from any dwelling (regardless of ownership or occupancy of the dwelling) and at least one hundred feet from the property line of property owned by any person, firm, company or corporation not owning the property on which the horse or horses are kept.

F. An authorized representative of the town shall be entitled at all reasonable times to enter any premises on which one or more horses are kept to verify compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

G. In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the provisions of Chapter 6.20 and Chapter 8.12, the latter shall govern.

(Ord. No. 793, § 5, 2-12-2024)

Notwithstanding the licensing provisions set forth in Chapter 6.04 of Title 6 of the San Mateo County Code of Ordinances, it shall not be unlawful for any person, firm, company, or corporation to engage the services of a herd of goats for the purpose of clearing vegetation from land within the town if such herd is at all times supervised and under the control of the owner of the herd or one or more employees of such owner and if the herd does not remain in the town overnight.

(Ord. No. 793, § 5, 2-12-2024)

A. All manure, offal, soiled straw, and other refuse matter from all buildings, yards, or other places within the town where animals are kept, shall be collected at least once daily and shall be disposed of by one of the following methods:

1. The refuse may be removed from the premises at least once a day, and disposed of in a manner approved by the department of health;

2. The refuse may be daily collected and stored in ventilated bins or other receptacles of such construction as is approved by the department of health, so as to prevent the ingress of flies and other vermin, the bins to be emptied at least once in every ten days.

B. No manure shall be used for fertilizing purposes within the town.

(Ord. No. 793, § 5, 2-12-2024)