Stanton Municipal Code Ch. 9.80 Racing/Homing Pigeons

The purpose of the ordinance codified in this chapter is to allow for the keeping of racing/homing pigeons in the city pursuant to standards which minimize the impact on surrounding properties and which assure an absence of health and nuisance related problems due to noise and accumulation of droppings and resultant concentration of insects and vermin.

(Ord. 787 § 1, 1997)

No person shall keep, raise or maintain more than three pigeons, including racing/homing pigeons, in the city except pursuant to a permit issued by the city and in compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 787 § 1, 1997)

The following standards shall apply to the keeping and/or raising of racing/homing pigeons:

A. A maximum number of one hundred racing/homing pigeons may be kept on a lot or parcel in the city which contains at least one dwelling unit. Such permit may specifically be limited to less than one hundred pigeons if the safety and neighborhood services manager determines the lot size and/or the number of dwelling units on a parcel and/or the nature or location of surrounding uses requires a lesser number.

B. No more than forty racing/homing pigeons may be released at any one time for flight exercise or training purposes. No more than two such flights shall be permitted within a twenty-four hour period.

C. Racing/homing pigeons shall only be released to fly between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m. In the case of racing pigeons, the regulations pertaining to release and/or flight shall not be applicable when the racing pigeons have been released from a distant location, in which case, the racing pigeons will be permitted to fly into the loft upon their return.

D. All racing/homing pigeons shall be kept, maintained and fed in an enclosed loft, pen, coop, pigeon house, or other similar structure (collectively "loft"), not to exceed seven feet in height, and which is capable of confining the racing/homing pigeons until the time of release. When applicable, the structure shall be regulated by a building permit.

E. Racing/homing pigeon lofts shall be located on the rear one-third of the property at a distance no less than twenty feet from all adjacent habitable structures.

F. All racing/homing pigeon lofts or structures shall be kept and maintained in a sanitary condition, all refuse and droppings removed from the premises at least once each calendar week, and all rules and regulations of all the governmental agencies having jurisdiction shall be met. Failure to comply with such standards and regulations shall be cause for revocation of any conditional use permit granted.

G. The owner or person in charge of keeping the racing/homing pigeons shall maintain his/her property and all structures, including roofs, driveways, and walkways, on the property in a clean manner, void of any visible pigeon droppings.

H. No racing/homing pigeon business or breeding activities for commercial purposes shall be conducted on or from the premises or property.

I. The owner of said racing/homing pigeons shall be a member of the California State Racing Pigeon Association, the American Racing Pigeon Union, Inc., or other generally recognized pigeon racing organization with annual registration by licensee of the individual birds. All pigeons kept pursuant to a permit issued in accordance with this chapter shall be identifiable by a numbered leg band issued by a recognized national or state pigeon organization.

J. The city retains the right and the jurisdiction to review the permit in the event the use conducted herein is modified, changed in scope, or the owner or operator seeks to expand, alter, or change the use. This reservation of the right of review of the permit is in addition to, and not in lieu of, the right of the safety and neighborhood services manager to review and revoke the permit or to modify the permit for any violations of this chapter, the conditions imposed by the permit, or when necessary to modify conditions which are or may be detrimental to the public health, safety, welfare, or comfort.

(Ord. 787 § 1, 1997)

The application, review and issuance of a permit pursuant to this chapter shall be processed in compliance with Chapter 20.530 of this code (Site Plan and Design Review) except that the review, issuance or denial and administration shall be performed by the city's safety and neighborhood services division and manager.

(Ord. 787 § 1, 1997)

Violations shall be unlawful and shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by fine or imprisonment or both pursuant to Section 1.04.080 of the city municipal code. Each day the violation continues is punishable as a separate offense pursuant to Stanton Municipal Code Section 1.04.080B.

(Ord. 787 § 1, 1997)