Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Setbacks And Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press commission over animal setbacks, vacant-lot limits and enforcement
Summary
Multiple residents told the Wildomar Planning Commission that recent animal-keeping setbacks and code-enforcement actions are restricting longstanding small-lot livestock and rescue-dog practices; staff said some setbacks are in the municipal code and that staff will review concerns and pursue community engagement if changes are needed.
Multiple residents used the public-comment period on May 6 to urge the Wildomar Planning Commission to reconsider how animal-keeping rules and vacant-lot designations are enforced and communicated.
Anne Keegans, introduced by the clerk, said setback rules inserted into city code in late 2024 or early 2025 (she cited code language) impose significant distances — she referenced a 100-foot setback from streets and a 20-foot setback from property lines — that have, in her view, made horse ownership on half-acre and one-acre lots effectively impossible. "How did these setbacks... get these setbacks removed?" she asked, and she pressed the commission on whether rural horse owners received targeted notice rather than buried notice in long agendas or the printed legal newspaper.
Another resident, Jera, described a recent animal-control visit and subsequent contact with code enforcement over an adjacent 'vacant lot' she has used as part of her yard for 24 years. She said officials told her donkeys could not use the adjacent lot and that she must reduce the number of rescue dogs; she told the commission she scheduled veterinary care to address animal-health concerns raised by officials. "If I can't use it, I can't have my donkeys," she said.
Gina Castanon, a long-time local planning participant who said she served on Wildomar’s incorporation committee, urged the commission to exercise its authority to approve with conditions or deny projects and to protect the city’s rural character. Castanon warned that developers with resources often prevail through appeals and cautioned the commission to be prepared to defend neighborhood priorities.
Staff response: Public Works staff told the commission that some animal-keeping setbacks (specifically a 100-foot setback from streets and a 20-foot setback from property lines) are currently in the municipal code, and that a previously cited 50-foot residence setback may no longer be in effect. Staff said they are already reviewing the concerns raised at recent meetings and will consider community engagement to capture feedback and identify changes if appropriate. "We're looking at what best way we can address some of the concerns and also incorporate community feedback," staff said.
What happens next: Staff said they will assess the code language and community input and will return to the commission if amendments or additional steps are recommended. The commission and staff encouraged residents to engage with staff as they work through potential changes to outreach and ordinance language.
