Fort Collins – On Monday night, Larimer County Commissioners killed proposed livestock regulations that would have cut the number of animals that could be kept on property in unincorporated portions of the county.
The commissioners voted unanimously 3-0 to shelve the changes, saying they would have seriously damaged agriculture in Larimer County especially for upstart farms and youth projects like 4-H.
The proposal called for limiting property owners to one horse per acre. Current regulations allow two horses per acre.
The regulations also would have set limits on the number of other animals a property owner could have, including alpacas, emus and ostriches.
County planners proposed the regulations to answer fears that too many animals on an acreage could be a nuisance to neighbors and lead to over-grazing.
But many horse owners told commissioners Monday night that the regulations would penalize most responsible landowners. Veterinarian Racquel Rodeheaver said the county should launch a campaign aimed at new horse owners, educating them on wise land use practices.
“The county’s goal should be to educate and not over-regulate,” said Rodeheaver.
