San Clemente Municipal Code Ch. 6.24 Animals at Large, Excessive Noise, and Other Nuisances

It shall be unlawful for any person in a residential structure to keep or maintain any animal within 100 feet of any other residential structure occupied by a person other than the animal's owner and/or keeper unless:

1. It is expressly allowed by the Zoning Code;

2. Dogs and cats. With the exception of those persons who have a valid animal rescue permit issued by authority, any person keeping four or more dogs or cats over four months in age, or any combination thereof, is first required to obtain a private kennel permit pursuant to San Clemente Municipal Code Section 6.20.010. Keeping more than six animals other than dogs or cats over four months in age, or any combination thereof, on any residential property is prohibited except as may otherwise be expressly permitted by this title.

(Ord. No. 1797, § 1, 11-4-2025)

No person owning or having charge, care or custody of any animal shall permit such animal to trespass or be upon any private property of another person without the consent of such person.

(Ord. No. 1797, § 1, 11-4-2025)

A. .....No person owning or having charge, care or custody of any animal shall permit such animal to damage or destroy the property of any person other than that of the owner of such an animal.

B. .....Parkways comprising the area between the street and sidewalk shall be included as private property for the purposes of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 1797, § 1, 11-4-2025)

No person shall keep, maintain or permit on any lot, parcel of land or premises under his or her control any animal which, due to any sound emitting from the animal, unreasonably disturbs the peace and comfort of the inhabitants of the neighborhood or interferes with the reasonable and comfortable enjoyment of life and property.

A. Prohibited animal noise includes, but is not limited to, dog barking or any other noise heard beyond the lot, parcel of land or premises where the animal is, for continuous period of 30 minutes or more, or intermittent noise for period of 60 minutes or more.

B. Unreasonable noise emitting from an animal in violation of this chapter may be established by three witnesses who do not live at the same address and who provide individual sworn declarations under penalty of perjury attesting to the time and nature of the unreasonable noise.

(Ord. No. 1797, § 1, 11-4-2025)

It shall be unlawful for the owner or person having charge, custody or control of any animal to permit, either willfully or through failure to exercise due care or control, to permit any animal to commit any nuisance by leaving its excreta and to allow such nuisance to therefore remain on any public sidewalk, public park or any other public property or on any improved private property other than that of the owner or person who has custody or control of such animal.

(Ord. No. 1797, § 1, 11-4-2025)

It shall be unlawful for the owner or person having charge, custody or control of any animal to permit, either willfully or through failure to exercise due care or control, to maintain any property, parcel, structure, home, facility or otherwise where the presence of any such animal creates a nuisance, including, but not limited to, conditions that are unhealthy to the animal or any human, results in offensive odors, creates an insect breeding reservoir, or any other condition that promotes disease or interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property.

(Ord. No. 1797, § 1, 11-4-2025)

No person shall tie any animal to any shrub or tree growing along any public sidewalk or street of the city.

(Ord. No. 1797, § 1, 11-4-2025)