Torrance Municipal Code Art. 11 Special Permits

(Amended by O-3397)

a) A special animal permit may be granted to: keep more than three (3) small animals of any one (1) species; keep more than four (4) pigeons and doves; keep an aggregate of more than four (4) small animals; keep bees; or keep hens, if the following requirements are met:

1. The applicant must show that a hardship exists such as prior ownership, family size, etc., or that extra animals will be used for educational or hobby purposes. The keeping of animals for commercial purposes is prohibited.

2. The keeping of bees must comply with the provisions of Article 10 of Chapter 1 of this Division.

3. The keeping of hens must comply with the provisions of Article 14 of Chapter 1 of this Division.

4. The yard area, fences, coops, hives, etc., must be sufficient to accommodate the proposed animals or bees in a safe and sanitary manner and in a manner to prevent nuisances caused by noise, odors or other causes to neighboring property owners or occupants. Special conditions may be imposed to mitigate possible nuisances.

5. Upon receipt of a completed application for a special animal permit to keep extra pigeons or doves, the Director of Community Development will notify, in writing, the residents, and owners if not residing on the property, within a three hundred (300) foot radius of the exterior boundaries of the property for which the special animal permit is sought to keep extra pigeons or doves.

6. Upon receipt of a completed application for a special animal permit to either keep extra small animals or keep bees, the Director of Community Development will notify, in writing, the residents and owners on two (2) lots or parcels on either side of the subject property and the two (2) lots or parcels nearest behind the subject property for which a special animal permit is sought to keep extra other small animals, bees, or hens. Those notified will have ten (10) calendar days in which to protest the application in writing.

7. An application for a special animal permit to keep hens is not subject to notification.

8. The applicant must make the property available at all reasonable times for an inspection by the Director of Community Development or his designee to insure compliance with Code and special provisions that may be placed upon the special animal permit. The special animal permit may be revoked by the Director of the Community Development Department if it can be shown that a nuisance to neighboring property owners or occupants exists or if provisions of the special animal permit are not complied with.

9. A fee of Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00)* will be charged for a special animal permit to obtain the fourth animal of any one (1) species. A fee of Eighty Dollars ($80.00)* will be charged for a special animal permit to keep more than four (4) pigeons or doves, or to keep bees, or to keep hens.

10. A written objection in response to the notification of the Director of Community Development as provided in subsection (a)(6) of this Section, within the noted ten (10) calendar days of the date shown on the notification, will automatically deny the special animal permit application.

11. Any applicant who has been denied, or has been granted a special animal permit with conditions (to keep extra pigeons or doves, to keep extra small animals, or to keep bees), or any other interested person may appeal the denial or granting of the special animal permit (to keep extra pigeons or doves, to keep extra small animals, or to keep bees) by the Director of Community Development to the Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission. The appeal must be made in writing to the City Clerk within fifteen (15) days of the determination of the Community Development Director. The fee for such appeal, which must accompany the appeal, will be the same as for an appeal to the City Council not involving a public hearing, nor advertising. Notice of the time and place of the appeal hearing will be made to the proponent and any person appealing.

12. A special animal permit to keep hens is not subject to appeal.

13. The decision of the Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission will be appealable to the City Council pursuant to the provisions of Article 5 of Chapter 1 of Division 1 commencing at Section 11.5.1.

*Fees increased/decreased by future City-wide fee resolutions.