City Council
MEETING DATE: 7/26/2017
TITLE:
Title
Backyard Pet Breeding Businesses
End
FROM:
Charlie McClendon, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
This item is presented for information, discussion and direction only.
Body
BACKGROUND:
On January 27, 2016 Council adopted an ordinance prohibiting the retail sale of dogs and cats in Cathedral City. This followed requests from the public for such an ordinance and a study session discussion on the topic held in November of 2015. The ordinance is attached.
Recently Councilmembers have received requests to consider an ordinance regulating or prohibiting pet breeding businesses operating from residences in the community. Such businesses are commonly known as backyard puppy breeding operations or puppy mills. CM Aguilar requested that staff prepare a study session agenda item on the topic.
DISCUSSION:
Legal staff identified two local ordinances that address the issue, but do so in different ways. The ordinances are from La Quinta and Desert Hot Springs and the relevant sections follow:
La Quinta:
10.24.140 Backyard breeding prohibited.
No person(s), shall sell, transfer or give away all or part of two or more litters, or eight or more dogs that were bred and reared on a residentially zoned property during a preceding twelve-month period.
Desert Hot Springs:
17.108.040 Prohibited home occupation uses.
The following are examples of uses that are not incidental to nor compatible with residential activities, and are prohibited:
A. Barber and beauty shop;
B. Businesses which entail the harboring, training, breeding, raising, or grooming of dogs, cats, or other animals on the premises;
These approaches are different in that La Quinta does not completely prohibit backyard breeding - it just limits the volume. DHS completely prohibits backyard breeding by treating it as a home occupation under the Zoning Code.
Staff seeks guidance from the Council on whether there is interest in ...
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