Council Rejects Petting Zoo’s Appeal : Zoning: The owner of The Farm in Reseda vows to sue the city. Neighbors had complained about odors, noise and loose chickens.

It was billed as the final showdown between The Farm and The City.

The owner of a petting zoo and pony ride business in Reseda--known as The Farm--appealed Wednesday to the Los Angeles City Council for the right to run the animal emporium in a residential area in violation of zoning rules.

But the answer was nay.

Citing complaints by neighbors about odors, noise and unfettered chickens that cause havoc on adjacent streets, the council voted unanimously to reject the appeal by The Farm’s owner, Linda Menary.

“This is not a case about ponies, petting zoos and children,” said Councilwoman Laura Chick, whose district includes the business at 8101 Tampa Ave. “I want to see the pony farm remain in my district, but not at this location.”

Menary vowed not to give up The Farm, saying she will sue the city to keep her business open.

“We are going to have to go to court,” she said after the council’s decision. “I can’t feed these animals unless I can make a living.”

City building and safety officials said that if Menary sues, they may wait for the court process to conclude before they enforce Wednesday’s decision.

The council’s vote is the latest development in a long dispute over the 35 ponies, 25 goats and a menagerie of sheep, rabbits, ducks and chickens that trot, hop, squawk and flap around Menary’s 1.5-acre home in Reseda.

Menary moved some animals to her property in 1976 from a parcel just up the street, where she had kept them for nearly a decade. But the fur began to fly in 1988 when she moved her ponies to the Tampa Avenue site.

Complaining about odors and noise, several of her neighbors and then-Councilwoman Joy Picus fought to close Menary’s business by filing complaints with animal control and zoning officials. In 1990, the city’s effort to shut the enterprise was delayed by a court order that allowed Menary to operate until zoning officials reached a decision.

In June, an associate zoning administrator decided against giving Menary a permit to operate The Farm. She appealed the decision, but it was rejected last month by the council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee.

The City Council’s decision Wednesday puts an end to her legislative appeals.

At the hearing, opponents described Menary’s business as a nuisance; supporters called it a local landmark.

Lydia Smith, a neighbor, said the petting zoo and pony ride business is not appropriate for the residential neighborhood. “The pony farm has really impacted our lifestyle,” she said.

A former Picus aide said liberated chickens have been known to run in the streets and cause collisions among cars swerving to avoid the birds.

James McCourt, head of Mercy Crusade, an animal rights group based in Van Nuys, said he has been to The Farm many times and has found that the animals there are not always treated humanely.

He said that water is not always available to the horses and that he has seen rabbits scrambling around the property, in danger of being trampled by the horses.

“In short, this is simply a continual pattern of bad conditions,” McCourt said.

But McCourt’s comments were challenged by Robert Bradley, a veterinarian who said he has worked with Menary for 25 years. Bradley said the animals at The Farm are well cared for.

“If I saw a lack of water for any animal, I would be the first to tell her,” he said.

Menary defended her treatment of the animals and added that The Farm has even been visited by the families of some City Council members.

“Even Joy Picus’ grandchildren used to ride the ponies,” she said.

City Councilman Hal Bernson acknowledged that his daughter used to ride ponies at The Farm. But that aside, he said the business violates zoning rules and annoys neighbors and should be relocated to a more suitable site.

“We have to find the right location,” Bernson said.