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Planning commission approves use permit allowing one pony and up to seven goats for vegetation management on 49 Oak Avenue
Summary
The Oroville Planning Commission approved Use Permit UP2604 to legalize a pony and up to seven goats on a 1.65‑acre RL‑zoned parcel at 49 Oak Avenue for non‑commercial vegetation management and fire‑risk abatement after staff said the animals help with weed control; the applicant apologized for the code violation and neighbors expressed support.
The Oroville Planning Commission on March 26 approved Use Permit UP2604 to allow non‑commercial keeping of one horse and up to seven goats on a 1.65‑acre parcel at 49 Oak Avenue (APN 033410002).
Planning staff told the commission the municipal code does not list equine uses in the RL (large‑lot residential) zone, so the applicant requested a use permit and staff recommended adoption of a CEQA notice of exemption (section 15303) and approval of the permit and Resolution P2026‑08. Staff said planners increased the requested goat allowance from one to seven after Development Review Committee review because the animals are used for vegetation management and neighborhood weed abatement.
The applicant, identified in the record as Claudia B., spoke by Zoom and said, “We would like to keep our animals here. We’ve had our goats for years. I did not know that we were breaking any rules, so I apologize.” Neighbors and a commissioner who lives adjacent to the property described the animals as helpful to fuel‑reduction efforts and said they had not observed nuisances. Commissioners discussed lot size, visibility and fire‑safety benefits of grazing animals as part of the permit conditions.
The commission voted to approve the item after discussion. The transcript does not include a detailed roll‑call tally for this specific motion in the public record, but the meeting proceeded with staff moving to the next agenda item.
Next steps: the approved use permit is subject to the findings and conditions in the staff report and the applicant must comply with building‑department approvals for the accessory livestock shelter and any monitoring or maintenance conditions set by staff or the commission.
