COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

Date:

October 24, 2001

Set Time:

9:30 a.m.

Hearing Date:

November 6, 2001

To:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

From:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

Subject:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Confined Animal Regulations

RECOMMENDATION

That the Board of Supervisors:

1.

Certify that the Negative Declaration is complete, correct and prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

2.

Amend the County Ordinance Code to replace the existing chapter entitled Stables with the proposed chapter entitled Confined Animal Regulations.

3.

Amend the RE, R-1, R-1/CCP, RH, COSC, PAD, RM, RM-CZ, TPZ, and TPZ-CZ zoning district regulations to delete existing terms for the keeping of horses, and substitute the term "keeping of confined animals."

4.

Amend the Zoning Nonconformities Chapter to allow abatement of a non-conforming confined animal use or structure that degrades water quality or sensitive habitats.

5.

Amend the County Building Regulations to establish an exemption to building permit requirements for small confined animal structures.

6.

Adopt a resolution amending the County Planning Service Fee Schedule to replace "Stable Permit" with "Confined Animal Permit," and to lower permit fees.

7.

Adopt a resolution directing staff to submit the regulations to the Coastal Commission for certification.

BACKGROUND

The County's "Stable Ordinance" was adopted in 1959, and has not been significantly changed since. Last year, an advisory committee comprised of advocates for horse keeping organizations, stable operators, environmental groups, farmers, and real estate interests met and provided staff with suggestions for regulatory change.

The most common complaints are that stable permit fees are too high, the process so onerous that it discourages compliance, horse owners are being singled out, and protection of water resources and sensitive habitats from animal waste runoff is not adequately emphasized.

With an improved understanding of the needs and expectations of horse owners and conservationists, staff prepared the draft Confined Animal Regulations.

The Planning Commission held a public workshop and four hearings, one on the Coastside, on the proposed regulations. By the conclusion, there was a broad consensus among horse keepers and environmentalists in support of the regulations. On September 12, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the final revised regulations to your Board for adoption. The ordinances and resolutions being presented to your Board are verbatim those recommended by the Planning Commission.

The main features of the proposed regulations are shown on the attached summary chart.