ESCONDIDO, Calif. — An Escondido woman and her boyfriend are fighting City Hall in hopes of saving the two alpacas they keep in the back yard.
Kelly Thor, 31 and Ryan Jiminez, 29, were recently told by a city code enforcement officer that Bubba and Einstein, the two fully-grown alpacas they have housed in a corral for the past year, are not allowed under the regulations that govern their 0.7-acre property in southern Escondido, which is zoned residential-estate.
The existence of the alpacas, a South American animal similar to a llama, came to the city’s attention when a neighbor complained about the noise they were making early in the morning. The neighbor also was upset about the gobbling of the couple’s eight turkeys, and the flies the alpacas and turkeys attract.
Turkeys are allowed per the property’s zoning, but the alpacas fall into a “livestock” category that allows for just one cow, or pig or, apparently, alpaca, if the property was at least 1 acre large. Their property is only two-thirds of an acre. Even it was bigger, only Bubba or Einstein (so named because the fiber (fur) on Einstein’s head prior to a recent shearing made him look like the wild-haired photos of Albert Einstein) would be allowed.
City officials say they are trying to work with Thor and Jiminez and are walking them through a process in which they can request an amendment to the regulations for residential-estate zoned land. The amendment, if approved, would allow for two alpacas not just on Thor and Jimenez’s property, but anywhere in the city similarly zoned.
Such a process would eventually have to go through the city’s Planning Commission and City Council for approval, and to make such a request will cost $3,685 in filing fees.
To that end, Thor has established a GoFundMe site to raise roughly a third of the cost. The city says it won’t force Thor to sell her animals should the zoning change request be filed. Only if it is denied would the alpacas possibly have to be removed.
“Growing up I’ve always loved alpacas,” Thor said Friday. “When I started working my dream was always to buy a house in Escondido and be able to buy a couple alpacas just to have as pets. I think they are amazing animals. They’re quiet. They’re sweet. They’re curious and it’s just something I’ve always wanted.”
Before buying the 10-year-old alpacas (they usually live to be 15 to 20 years old), Thor said, she did check the zoning regulations, but it wasn’t clear to her if alpacas were allowed.
She said if they were miniature horses, which are roughly the same size, there wouldn’t be a problem under the zoning. But they aren’t horses.
The neighbor who complained said he wants to remain anonymous.
He said he’s lived within about 100 feet of Thor and Jimenez’s property for 35 years and had no problems until they moved in with their animals a couple years ago. He said when the alpacas and turkeys are startled, often in the middle of the night or early morning, they shriek and gobble and wake up the neighborhood.
He said even if the zoning rules are changed there are still noise regulations in the city that should prevent animals from disturbing the peace.
Thor said the alpacas are a hit with neighborhood children who can see them as they walk to and from a nearby elementary school.
“It has brought a lot of joy to our community and people are reaching out,” she said. “It’s amazing the support we’ve got.”
