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V VISALIA
Planning & Community Preservation Department
Planning Division
October 22, 2025
Harmeet Singh
1367 South Palm Street
Visalia, CA 93292
RE: APPROVAL OF PERMIT FOR- KEEPING OF RACING, HOMING, & SPORTING PIGEONS AS HOUSEHOLD PETS PURSUANT SECTION 17 .32.250 OF THE
VISALIA MUNICIPAL CODE
This letter is to inform you that on October 16, 2025, the City of Visalia Planning Division reviewed your permit and determined that all provisions as required pursuant to Section
17.32.250 of the Visalia Municipal Code have been met. The Keeping of Racing, Homing, & Sporting Pigeons as Household Pets Permit is hereby approved, subject to the following:
1. The keeping of racing, homing or sporting pigeons, in accordance with the limitations specified in Section 17.32.270, may be permitted upon issuance of a permit by the planning and building division.
2. This article shall apply only to parcels ten thousand (10,000) square feet in area or larger that are located within the R-1-5, R-1-12.5, and R-1-20 zones.
3. Leg Banding. All racing, homing or sporting pigeons shall be banded with a leg band.
The leg band is defined as a seamless band, made of a durable material, which designates the national organization with which the bird is registered, and indicates the year of birth of the bird. Birds that are not banded shall not be considered to be racing, homing or sporting pigeons.
4. Number Limit. The number of racing, homing or sporting pigeons shall not cumulatively exceed one hundred (100) per parcel.
5. Loft Setbacks. The structure ("loft") housing the racing, homing or sporting pigeons shall comply with setback, height, and lot coverage limitations in the underlying zone.
The loft shall be setback a minimum distance of ten feet from residential structures on the site, to provide adequate distance for clean and sanitary loft maintenance, and a minimum distance of twenty- five (25) feet from the buildable area of any adjacent parcel. The buildable area shall be defined as that portion of the parcel that excludes the front, rear, and side yard setback areas. A site plan shall be submitted to ensure the site is in compliance.
6. Loft Maintenance. Any loft used for housing the racing, homing or sporting pigeons shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.
7. Release and Feeding of Pigeons. All racing, homing or sporting pigeons shall be confined to the loft; except for limited periods necessary for exercise, training and competition. At no time shall pigeons be allowed to perch or linger on the buildings or property of others. Objects shall not be thrown at the birds during their training or exercise. All birds shall be fed within the confines of the loft. 315 E. Acequia Ave. • Visalia, CA 93291 P 559.713.4359 E [email protected] W visalia.gov
It is unlawful for the owners or persons having custody of any animal to permit, either willfully or through failure to exercise due care or control, any cruel acts upon said animal. Cruel acts are defined as follows:
A. To place, leave or expose, making accessible to animals, any poisonous substance;
B. To have, keep, or harbor any animal which is infected with any dangerous or incurable or painfully crippling condition, except as hereinafter provided. All such diseased or crippled animals with an incurable ailment taken into custody of the city shall be transferred to the Poundmaster for impoundment. This section shall not apply to animals within veterinary hospitals or under the care of a veterinarian, or having been diagnosed with any common, incurable disease where impoundment or quarantine is not recommended by a doctor of veterinary medicine; C. To fail, refuse or neglect to provide any animal in their charge or custody as owner or otherwise, with food, drink, shade or weatherproof housing facilities, or to carry any animal in or upon any vehicle in a cruel or inhumane manner; D. To willfully, or maliciously kill, maim, disfigure, tease, torture, beat with a stick, chain, club or other
object, mutilate, burn, scald with any substance, over-drive or otherwise cruelly set upon any animal, except that a reasonable force may be employed to drive off vicious or trespassing animals;
E. To hobble livestock or other animals by means of chains which are composed of tempered or other permanent wire links;
F. To drive or work any animal in a cruel manner when such animal is unfit for such work;
G. To promote, stage, hold, manage, conduct, carry on or attend any game, exhibition, contest, or fight in which one or more animals are engaged for the purpose of injuring, killing, maiming or destroying themselves or any other animal or person;
H. No person or business shall give away any live vertebrate animal as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter, any contest, game or other competition, or as an inducement to enter a place of amusement or offer such vertebrate as an incentive to enter into any business agreement whereby the offer was for the purpose of attracting trade;
I. No person shall keep upon any premises, any animals, including any fowl or household pets in a foul, offensive, obnoxious, filthy or unsanitary condition.
Officer A. Silva
Badge# AC2305
559-713-4957