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Residents denounce new setback and animal limits, warn state housing laws will limit local control
Summary
Multiple residents, including longtime equestrians, told the council the recent setbacks and proposed animal limits were inserted without proper outreach; speakers warned the rules threaten horse keeping and property values while staff explained state housing laws constrain local discretion.
At public comment, multiple residents made passionate appeals opposing newly noticed setbacks and proposed animal‑number limits that they said were discovered without adequate public outreach.
A longtime equestrian who spoke at length said the changes "mislead people to think that Wildomar loves and advocates for horses when in fact the opposite is true" and demanded the setbacks be rescinded. Another resident said code enforcement recently advised him he could not use an adjacent vacant lot he had treated as part of his yard for years, raising licensing and animal‑count questions.
The council and staff answered with process and legal context. Community Development staff explained that some proposed projects are invoking state housing statutes—identified in the meeting record as SB35, SB330 and the density bonus law—that narrow local discretion and allow developers to request objective standards or ministerial approvals. Staff repeatedly stressed the items being discussed tonight were not project approvals but rather steps such as agreements to fund environmental review.
"If a developer applies under SP330 then and a density bonus law, that's why you're seeing the increase of the 51 homes on that small piece of property," a staff member said, noting state law limits the city's ability to deny qualifying projects.
Why it matters: Residents who purchased or maintained properties to support horses said setback changes threaten long‑standing uses and asked the council to press staff to protect equestrian character. Staff and the city attorney cautioned that state housing statutes create limits on local processes and reiterated the need for public hearings and environmental review before final decisions.
Ending: Council directed staff to continue outreach, and several councilmembers urged residents to weigh in at upcoming planning and environmental hearings.
