Council Introduces Ordinance to Regulate Homing Pigeons, Adjusts Setback Proposal
Apr 16, 2025 05:03PM ● By Sean P. Thomas, City Editor
The Galt City Council approved an amendment to a city ordinance allowing homing and racing pigeons to be kept on Galt residential properties. Residents can house up to 10 birds if they are housed 30 feet away from the lot’s property line. Photo by Malan Vivier
GALT, CA (MPG) - The Galt City Council on Tuesday, April 15 introduced an ordinance amendment that would allow residents to keep and train homing pigeons under specific conditions.
The proposed ordinance would make an exception to the city’s prohibition on wild birds and fowl, permitting up to 10 homing or racing pigeons per property, provided the owner is a member of a recognized pigeon organization and adheres to housing, care and training requirements.
After Council Members raised concerns over fairness and neighborhood impact, Council Members also agreed to modify the ordinance’s property line setback requirement, reducing it from 50 feet to 30 feet, citing concerns that most Galt residents don’t have large enough lots to meet the original rule.
“I feel like we are accommodating the rich at this point to have a pet project while 98 percent of the city has no ability to even have a chance to have this pet project,” Council Member Bonnie Rodriguez said.
The ordinance came in response to ongoing resident complaints about large pigeon flocks kept in residential backyards. City Manager Chris Erias said that in recent years, city staff have received multiple reports of nuisance conditions caused by pigeon coops housing up to 100 birds.
“There have been a couple of instances where we’ve had complaints…they have created a nuisance for those living in nearby homes,” Erias said.
Issues included odor, dead birds, noise and safety concerns.
The proposed ordinance would limit pigeon activity to the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., require weekly cleaning of enclosures and prohibit nuisance noise or odor. Enclosures must also be secure from rodents and vermin. All pigeons must be kept inside their coops when not actively training or flying.
Code Enforcement Supervisor TJ Guidotti emphasized the need for balance.
“We want to establish the regulation, but we also want to work with community members who say that having pigeons is something that they want to do,” he said. “We will work with you for compliance, but we have to make sure your activity will not impact your neighbor.”
Mayor Shawn Farmer said a 10-pigeon limit might be too low.
“I’m not a pigeon expert, but that seems low,” he said, referencing a conversation with a racer who suggested 25-30 birds is a manageable number.
Farmer also recalled a previous neighborhood where someone kept 200 pigeons that often flew in loud flocks overhead.
“When I used to live over there, they would do laps over my house,” Farmer said. “There would be floods of like 30 or 40 of them in groups and they sound like airplanes going over when they are in a group. It’s kind of crazy.”
Farmer also suggested tailoring the number of pigeons allowed to the size of the lot, allowing residents on smaller lots to keep a few birds, while capping the total at 10.
“I’m just trying to be fair, too,” he said.
Resident Joan Werblun, who lived near that property, said even a small number of birds could be problematic if not well-maintained.
“I have pictures of my car that looked like a bad white paint job,” she said.
Phyllis Johnson, whose father co-founded a homing pigeon club in the Bronx, said she took issue with the proposed training hours, based on typical pigeon-keeping practices.
She called the proposed training hours “tricky” before offering to assist with any ordinance revisions or questions.
“I knew a pigeon before I knew anything else,” she said.
Rodriguez questioned whether it made sense to allow homing pigeons at all if only a few homes meet the property size requirement.
Erias acknowledged that accommodating smaller lots would make enforcement more difficult, but possible.
“The 10 (birds) really is a reflection of those who just do it recreationally,” he said.
Council Member Mathew Pratton suggested forming an ad-hoc committee to evaluate and refine the ordinance, if council members were concerned.
“I think TJ has done his homework, and this is what he has come up with,” Pratton said.
City Attorney Frank Splendorio said the ordinance could serve as a pilot program, with the city revisiting the rules later.
Farmer agreed, inviting code enforcement to return and discuss the ordinance if the change made at Tuesday’s meeting causes any issues.
