Sweetwater debates removing livestock permit after judge revokes sole permit in neighborhood dispute

Council members and staff discussed a proposed ordinance that would remove the city’s current permit process for livestock kept within 300 feet of another residence and instead make those animals prohibited inside that buffer.

Jessica briefed the board on a recent city court case: neighbors complained about a resident keeping a goat (about 15 feet from a neighbor’s patio) and chickens that reportedly ran loose; animal control originally issued a permit after reviewing the property, but a judge later revoked that permit and ordered that the next reapplication consider input from surrounding neighbors. Jessica told the board that, to date, the city has issued only one livestock permit under the current code and that the judge’s revocation and subsequent reapplication have prompted staff to bring a proposed ordinance forward.

Under the proposal, livestock such as cattle, horses, goats and sheep would not be allowed within 300 feet of a residence; chickens are not included in the livestock permit provision. Commissioners debated options: some favored a clear and simple 300‑foot ban to avoid perceptions of favoritism in discretionary permitting; others recommended keeping a permit option but strengthening the review standard by adding a multi‑party checklist (for example, including codes and animal control sign‑offs and explicit neighborhood input) and clearer grounds to deny or revoke permits (noise, sanitation, animals running loose). Several commissioners noted that a hard 300‑foot rule would effectively prohibit most livestock in typical residential lots and would require grandfathering of lawful existing animals.

The board directed staff to prepare a revised approach: craft a checklist and proposed ordinance amendments, and move the livestock item off the May 4 agenda and continue the discussion at a June workshop with a new draft available for review.