Lake Elsinore, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Chapter 6.08, dating to 1954, restricts animal-raising in the older, denser portion of the city described in § 6.08.010, which runs roughly southwest of a boundary tracing Sumner, Spring, Pottery, East Hill, Franklin, Conklin, Grove, Elsinore Heights and Mountain View before meeting Railroad Avenue. Inside that district, § 6.08.020 makes it unlawful to keep or raise cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens, pigeons, geese, ducks or turkeys for commercial purposes, and conclusively presumes a commercial purpose once a household has more than three cats or dogs, or more than two rabbits, chickens, pigeons, geese, ducks and turkeys combined.

Section 6.08.030 separately bans keeping any rooster or male goose, duck, turkey or guinea fowl between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. anywhere in that same district, addressing nighttime noise rather than headcount. Section 6.08.040 layers on a citywide, district-independent rule: horses, cows, sheep or goats may not be kept within 150 feet of any residence or building used for human habitation, though a ranch-style subdivision developer can apply to the Planning Commission, which forwards a recommendation to the City Council, for a waiver of that setback.

The same section also bars keeping any animal or fowl that habitually makes loud noise disturbing the neighborhood, a nuisance standard that applies citywide regardless of species count.