PLAN TO ALLOW LLAMAS IN BRIDLE PATH ASSAILED.

Byline: Terry Kanakri Daily News Staff Writer

Some homeowners in the Bridle Path are contesting the legality of their homeowners association's decision to amend its conditions, covenants and restrictions to allow raising farm animals and llamas in the neighborhood.

Article XII, section 2, which governs the termination of covenants, states that the CC&Rs are binding for a period of 25 years from the date they were recorded, which was in 1976, says Casual Court resident Ken Nies.

According to Nies, this means that the CC&Rs, which currently ban farm animals, are binding until 2001. In addition, the CC&Rs automatically are extended for successive periods of 10 years unless two-thirds of the voting members of the association agree to change the covenants, he said.

``The board of directors is setting a bad precedent to our neighborhood because one of their jobs is supposed to be enforcing the CC&Rs,'' Nies said. ``They're not abiding by the CC&Rs now. What kind of precedent is that setting? That bothers me. How can they just selectively enforce the CC&Rs?''

Louis Pandolfi, president of the homeowners association's board of directors, denied any wrongdoing, and denounced the critics as ``animal haters'' and a ``small minority.''

``The CC&Rs have been amended a dozen times since 1976, and law firm after law firm has reviewed this for the association and they've issued reports in our favor,'' Pandolfi said.

``They (opponents) just tell lies and distortion to get some press and stir up the pot, but it's old news,'' he continued. ``There may be political basis, but there's no legal basis (for their claims).''

Laura Kuhn, Simi Valley's deputy director of environmental services, said the city will make sure that no laws are broken before it moves ahead with any proposed zone change to allow farm animals and llamas.

``The council did direct that . . . the homeowners association validate that everything that they've done is proper and in accordance with the CC&Rs,'' she said. ``They're going to have to provide that to us before we proceed.''

On Monday, the City Council instructed its staff to prepare an amendment to a zoning ordinance that currently only allows animals of the equine family in the Bridle Path neighborhoods of southwest Simi Valley, in addition to house pets such as cats and dogs.

The City Council asked the Homeowners Association last May to determine what type of nonequine animals should be permitted in the Bridle Path, based on a consensus among homeowners.

The decision was spurred by a dispute over whether llamas and other animals should be allowed in the Bridle Path. Many residents complained to the city when homeowner Mitch Pelter gave his wife, Charmaine, a llama.

In January, Bridle Path homeowners voted 377-81 in favor of an amendment to permit the keeping of some farm animals such as goats, pot-bellied pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks and pigeons.

Residents also voted 327-121 for an amendment regarding the keeping of llamas.