SIMI VALLEY : Council to Decide on Llama Classification

A horse by any other name is still a horse, and so apparently are llamas.

The Simi Valley City Council tonight will decide if llamas should be considered in the same category as ponies.

The council wants to clear up a controversy about whether a homeowner in the Bridle Path neighborhood should be allowed to keep the South American animals on her property. The area has special zoning allowing for horses and ponies.

About eight years ago, when a nearby resident asked for permission to keep llamas on his property, the city planning department ruled simply that “llamas shall be considered to be equivalent to ponies.”

The ruling stood until another homeowner brought llamas onto her property and a neighbor complained that it violated rules that only allow horses. The City Council will decide if the earlier planning department decision was appropriate.

Councilman Bill Davis said he does not think that there is a problem with the llamas, which he said are clean and quiet.

Although the area is zoned only for horses and ponies, several homeowners keep everything from chickens to pigs on their land.

Councilman Paul Miller said he will abstain from the vote because he lives in Bridle Path. But he said he would like the council to consider new rules to allow other animals.