HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9681 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9681
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council November 11, 2014
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•a SUBJECT: LARGE ANIMAL ORDINANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
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Issue:
At the September 23, 2014 meeting, City Council requested an update on the City's Large Animal
Ordinance and enforcement in residential areas, specifically in regards to large animals (horses)
having the ability to reach or approach children walking down the street on Ramey.
History:
On March 8, 2008, after numerous public meetings throughout the city, City Council amended the
Zoning Ordinance to add Section 5.307 Large Animals. The previous regulations allowed an
unlimited number of large animals to be kept in residential neighborhoods if setback requirements
were met, which at times created nuisances to nearby property owners. The previous regulations
also prohibited residential property owners from keeping large animals on lots that did not contain
the owner's dwelling unit.
Ordinance:
The current Zoning Ordinance requires large animals in "A" one family and "B" two family districts
to be kept at least 50 feet from regulated structures and provide 10,000 square feet of pasture
area per large animal. Miniature horses, sheep and goats require 5,000 square feet per animal. A
regulated structure includes any building used for human habitation, other than the person's
habitation, eating establishment, church, school, hospital, convalescent home or nursing home.
To keep a large animal a person must own a total of/2 acre of contiguous land and must live on
the same property or within '/4 mile of the property where the animal is being kept.
Enforcement:
Since March 2008, the Code Compliance Department has responded to 1,455 zoning violations
related to large animals. Code Officers have performed 3,830 inspections to bring these
properties into compliance.
Although the Zoning Ordinance does not speak to how large animals must be confined, most
owners have their properties fenced. As long as the fence is constructed and maintained
according to code and the large animals are restrained, it is not a violation for large animals to
approach or stick their heads over a fence as children walk by. It is also legal to ride horses on
city streets as long as traffic laws are obeyed. Citizens are encouraged to report zoning and
animal cruelty violations to the Code Compliance Department and traffic violations to the Police
Department.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS