CITY OF GROVER BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 8
Placement: Consent
Meeting Date: September 14, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Megan Martin, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Temporary Stay of Enforcement of Grover Beach Municipal Code Provisions Regulating Poultry
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution establishing a temporary stay of enforcement of Grover Beach Municipal Code provisions regulating the keeping of poultry within city limits.
BACKGROUND
The City of Grover Beach (City) first adopted regulations governing the keeping of animals in 1970. These regulations have been periodically updated over time to address changing community conditions, health and safety considerations, and regulatory needs. The City’s enforcement of animal regulations includes provisions governing the keeping of poultry, including chickens, on property within the city as defined by the Grover Beach Municipal Code (GBMC) Title IX, Chapter 91, Section 91.11. Enforcement is primarily carried out by the City’s Code Compliance program, with animal-related services also supported through the City’s contract with San Luis Obispo County Animal Services. The Code Compliance program is responsible for responding to complaints, investigating potential violations, and taking appropriate enforcement action or referring certain cases to the appropriate agency (i.e., San Luis Obispo County Animal Control Services, County Public Health Department, or Grover Beach Police Department), to ensure compliance with the GBMC.
In FY 2023-24, the City undertook a comprehensive update of its animal regulations and adopted an ordinance intended to provide greater consistency with the San Luis Obispo County’s Uniform Animal Regulations. As part of that update adopted by the Council in July 2024, the City’s regulations regarding the limitation and keeping of poultry were revised to prohibit the keeping of poultry within city limits. At the August 24, 2026 Council meeting, public speakers expressed concern regarding enforcement action and notices to remove the chickens from their properties in compliance with the GBMC. The public speakers requested that the Council consider whether and how chickens should be permitted and regulated within the community and to not continue with the prohibition as currently stipulated in the GBMC.
During Council communications at the August 24th meeting, the Council directed staff to return to Council with a policy discussion on this issue at a future meeting which staff will schedule for October 26. The Council also directed staff to bring a resolution at the September 14th meeting that would establish a temporary stay of enforcement of the City’s poultry prohibition. The stay would provide staff the opportunity to research the City’s existing regulations, approaches used Staff Report: Resolution on a Stay of Enforcement of Code Provisions Regarding Poultry Page 2 September 14, 2026
by other similar jurisdictions, and develop recommendations for the Council regarding how the keeping of chickens may best be regulated and enforced within the City.
Pursuant to this direction, the attached Resolution would temporarily stay, pause, and refrain from initiating or pursuing enforcement actions based solely upon violations of the GBMC provisions regulating the keeping of poultry until such time that the City’s Animal Regulations are amended on this issue. Any pending code compliance cases based solely upon the keeping of poultry will be placed on hold during the effective period of the stay and no additional enforcement action shall be taken on such cases unless otherwise directed by the Council to address an independent violation.
Lastly, staff would note that the Resolution does not create a permanent legal right to keep poultry within the City, waive any existing GBMC requirements, or prevent the Council from subsequently determining that enforcement of the City’s existing regulations should resume.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no funding impacts to this staff report.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council has the following alternatives to consider:
1. Adopt the Resolution establishing a temporary stay of enforcement of GBMC provisions regulating the keeping of poultry; or,
2. Provide alternative direction to staff.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act. Staff contacted individuals involved with pending enforcement cases related to keeping of poultry to inform them of this agenda item.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
Multi-Year Goals
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☐ Water & Wastewater Infrastructure ☒ Community Engagement ☐ Street Improvements and Maintenance
RESOLUTION NO. 26-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GROVER BEACH,
CALIFORNIA, DIRECTING A TEMPORARY STAY OF ENFORCEMENT OF
GROVER BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE PROVISIONS REGULATING THE
KEEPING OF POULTRY ON PROPERTY WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
WHEREAS, the City of Grover Beach (“City”) Municipal Code (“GBMC”) contains provisions regulating the keeping of poultry, including chickens, within the City (GBMC Title IX, Chapter 91, Section 91.11, subsection (B)); and
WHEREAS, the City has recently undertaken enforcement activities related to the keeping of chickens within the City pursuant to the applicable provisions of the GBMC; and WHEREAS, following enforcement activities, the City Council (“Council”) at a regular meeting on August 24, 2026, received public comment expressing concern regarding the City’s prohibition and enforcement of regulations concerning chickens, and a desire among members of the community to retain their chickens; and
WHEREAS, the public comments received by the Council prompted the Council to further consider the City’s existing regulations governing the keeping of chickens and whether those regulations continue to appropriately reflect community interests and City policy objectives; and WHEREAS, the Council directed staff to evaluate existing regulations and consider potential amendments to the Animal Regulation provisions regarding the City’s regulation of chickens before additional enforcement activities are undertaken; and WHEREAS, the Council directed staff to return to the next Council meeting with a resolution establishing a temporary stay of enforcement while staff explores amendments that more appropriate reflect community interest and the City’s policy objectives; and WHEREAS, the temporary stay is not intended to repeal, amend, or invalidate any provision of the GBMC, nor does it authorize the keeping of chickens or poultry in violation of other applicable laws, regulations, or requirements.
NOW, THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Grover Beach, California, does hereby direct staff on the temporary stay of enforcement as follows:
SECTION 1. To temporarily stay, pause, and refrain from initiating or pursuing enforcement actions based solely upon violations of the GBMC provisions regulating the keeping of chickens or poultry.
SECTION 2. This resolution shall not repeal, amend, suspend, or otherwise alter the text or legal effect of any provision of the GBMC. The City's regulations governing chickens and poultry shall remain in effect unless and until amended or repealed by subsequent action of the City Council.
SECTION 3. The enforcement stay applies to enforcement activities based solely upon the keeping of chickens or poultry in violation of the City's regulations. This Resolution does not prevent the City from taking enforcement action when chickens or poultry are associated with Attachment 1
Resolution No. 26- Page 2
other independent violations of law, including public health, sanitation, nuisance, animal welfare, or other applicable requirements.
SECTION 4. Any pending code compliance cases based solely upon the keeping of chickens or poultry shall be placed on hold during the effective period of the stay. No additional enforcement action shall be taken on such cases unless otherwise directed by the Council to address an independent violation.
SECTION 5. Staff are directed to evaluate the City's existing regulations concerning chickens and poultry and return to the City Council with recommendations regarding whether amendments to the GBMC are warranted.
SECTION 6. Duration. The enforcement stay established by this resolution shall remain in effect until the earliest of:
1. The City Council adopts subsequent legislation or a resolution terminating the stay; or
2. The City Council adopts amendments to the applicable GBMC provisions and establishes a new enforcement direction.
SECTION 7. Nothing in this Resolution shall be construed as creating a permanent legal right to keep chickens or poultry within the City, waiving any existing Municipal Code requirement, or preventing the Council from subsequently determining that enforcement of the City’s existing regulations should resume.
SECTION 8. This Resolution is affected immediately upon its adoption.
On motion by Council Member _____, seconded by Council Member ____, and on the following roll-call vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members –
NOES: Council Members –
ABSENT: Council Members –
ABSTAIN: Council Members –
RECUSED: Council Members –
the foregoing Resolution was PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Grover Beach, California this 14th day of September, 2026.
KASSI DEE, MAYOR
Attest:
WENDI B. SIMS, CITY CLERK