Santa Maria, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 5-3.801 makes it unlawful to keep or maintain any live hog, swine, stallion, or bull within the City. Section 5-3.802 prohibits breeding mares, jennies, or cows to any stallion, jack, or bull within the City. Section 5-3.803 (Proximity to dwellings) prohibits keeping any live horse, mule or other equine, cow or other bovine, sheep, or goat within 125 feet of any building or structure used or occupied as a residence or dwelling. Under the city's zoning rules in Chapter 12, only the RA (Residential Agricultural) zone permits the keeping of cattle, sheep, goats, or horses, and only on lots of at least two acres with no more than two such animals per acre; barns, coops, and other animal-housing structures must be on the rear half of the lot and at least 50 feet from any public building, park, school, or building used for human habitation, and at least 25 feet from side lot lines. For backyard chickens specifically, hens are treated as accessory pets in residential zones with a limit of five hens, no roosters, and a 20-foot coop setback from neighboring dwellings.