Horse owners need to be aware they could lose the right to keep horses on their property if a horse is not properly licensed.
Los Angeles zoning code for residential-agricultural properties (A1, A2, RA1, RE20, and RE40) states that equines being boarded or kept on private property shall be issued a current 'Equine License' issued by the Los Angeles City Department of Animal Regulation.
If you have not kept your horse properly licensed, and your neighbor obtains a building permit for a new dwelling that makes the distance requirement between their new dwelling and your horse stable illegal, you could be forced to move.
The zoning code allows your lot to be a designated horse-keeping lot if you have an 'Equine License' to stable at least one licensed equine during the 12 months prior to the issuance of the building permit for the residential building on an adjacent lot. Your lot becomes a nonconforming equine use if, during a successive 3-year period, no equine is licensed by the Department of Animal Regulation.
Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 53.15.1 states any person owning or having custody of any horse, pony, burro, mule, donkey, or other equine 12 months of age or older shall pay for the privilege of keeping such equine with a license fee of $14.00 per year.
In addition zoning for horse-keeping property is predicated on how many licensed horses are kept on private property or boarded in the area. If the city doesn't know about your horse it can't be included in an overall plan for equine zoning. In areas like Chatsworth so much of our riding area is falling prey to developers, so it is imperative that we have all our horses counted. Please take the time to license your horse today by contacting the City Department of Animal Regulation.
WEST VALLEY
(888)-452-7381 Ext. 146EAST VALLEY
(888)-452-7381 Ext. 145