San Fernando Municipal Code Art. I In General

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Health officer means and includes the city health officer and his deputies and the county health officer and his deputies whenever the city has entered into a contract with the county for the performance by county health officers or other employees of public health services.

Owner means and includes an owner, an agent, a manager, a proprietor, a lessee, a tenant, an occupant or a person in possession.

Premises means and includes any building structure, place, lot or parcel of land or any number of contiguous lots or parcels of land in the possession or control of any person or in the joint or common possession or control of more than one person.

(Code 1957, § 4.1)

Cross reference— Definitions generally, § 1-2.

Any person obtaining a permit pursuant to title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code allowing an animal to be at large shall be liable for all damages that may be incurred because of the exercise of such permit.

(Code 1957, §§ 4.2, 4.45, 4.50)

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall keep any animal, fowl or bird, wild or domestic, other than cats, dogs, canaries, racing or homing pigeons or birds of the Psittacidae family, within 50 feet of any residence or dwelling house or other building used for the habitation of human beings or within 100 feet of any school, hospital or similar institution.

(Code 1957, § 4.3)

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep more than 50 chickens or poultry of any kind, except that poultry less than six months old shall not be included as coming under such limitation, or more than 20 rabbits or hares upon any lot, enclosure or premises having an area of 7,500 square feet or less without first obtaining a permit from the health officer.

(Code 1957, § 4.4)

(a) No person shall establish or maintain any hive or box where bees are kept or keep any bees on any premises in the city within 300 feet of any dwelling other than that of the owner of such bees or within 100 feet of any exterior boundary of the property on which the hive or box is located, except that a hive or box for the keeping of bees may be located and kept:

(1) Within a schoolhouse for the purpose of study or observation.

(2) In a physician's office or laboratory for medical research or treatment or for scientific purposes.

(b) No bees permitted to be kept upon any premises under subsection (a) of this section shall be permitted to fly at large.

(Code 1957, § 4.5)

Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the keeping of any animals or fowl in connection with any educational project conducted by or through the cooperation of public or private schools or in connection with a circus, fair or carnival where a permit is first obtained from the health officer.

(Code 1957, § 4.6)

Whenever in this chapter the keeping of certain animals is made conditional upon the obtaining of a permit from the health officer, such permit shall be in writing, and the health officer shall state therein the conditions upon which it is granted. It shall be the duty of the permittee to comply with such conditions. Any such permit shall be revocable at any time by order of the city council on recommendation of the health officer. Any violation of the terms or conditions of any such permit shall be punishable in the same manner and to the same extent as violations of this chapter are punishable. Permits granted under this chapter are not transferable, unless otherwise provided.

(Code 1957, § 4.7)

Proper measures to control fly breeding and odor nuisances shall be taken by persons keeping animals and fowl in the city, and this shall include provision for a watertight covered container to hold all manure and straw bedding in the intervals between removal.

(Code 1957, § 4.8)

(a) All manure, soil droppings and urine-soaked straw and bedding shall be removed from the premises where animals and fowl are kept as often as determined necessary by the health officer to prevent fly breeding, nuisance and odor and not less than once every three days.

(b) Nothing contained in this section shall apply to manure which is spread as fertilizer over or around cultivated plants, vines, vegetables, lawns, bushes, shrubs or trees or to manure kept by any nursery for commercial fertilizer purposes.

(Code 1957, § 4.9)

No person shall park, store, repair or maintain any vehicle used for the purpose of hauling manure in any R-1, R-2, R-3, RPD, or C-1 zone or upon or in any public street or alley abutting any such zone unless the vehicle, prior thereto, has been thoroughly cleaned and is free of all manure and odor and has been sprayed with insecticide to prevent fly breeding.

(Code 1957, § 4.10)

No person shall let to a mare any stallion or jack or let to a cow any bull or let to a sow any boar or to a bitch any dog or let to a nanny goat any goat, except within an enclosure so arranged as to obstruct such animals entirely from the view of all persons outside of such enclosure.

(Code 1957, § 4.11)

(a) Every person who, prior to June 6, 1951, was maintaining or keeping one or more animals in full compliance with all laws, ordinances and statutes then applicable thereto may continue to keep such animals in the same place and manner, if he obtained a permit to do so from the city clerk on or before July 6, 1951.

(b) Following the receipt of an application, the health officer shall make or cause to be made an inspection of the premises. If such animals were lawfully maintained in the same place and manner immediately prior to the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter derives and do not constitute a nuisance or a menace to health and all the provisions of this chapter, state law or other ordinances have been complied with, he shall so certify that fact to the city clerk, who will issue the applicant a permit. Such permit shall be transferable.

(c) The applicant for such permit shall pay to the city clerk a fee of $2.00 for such permit to cover the expense of inspection and investigation of any matters referring to such application made by the health officer. The city council shall have power to revoke such permit at any time.

(Code 1957, § 4.12)