Council delays El Gallo poultry show permit amid H5N1 ban and rooster-fighting concerns

Yucaipaity Council on Jan. 13 deferred action on a special-event permit for "El Gallo," a proposed poultry show at the Yucaipa Equestrian Arena, citing a statewide ban tied to H5N1 and concerns from council members about vendor practices and alcohol regulation.

Community Services staff explained the application and reported that "the state of California has put a ban on all California poultry and dairy cattle expositions, fairs, and shows due to the H5N1 influenza." Staff also said the applicant indicated plans to sell alcohol and would need an ABC license and additional departmental approvals to move forward.

Councilmember (speaker 2) raised concerns after viewing the group's social media, saying she saw material that suggested fighting roosters and asked whether rooster fighting is illegal in all 50 states. "Is that correct?" she asked the attorney during the meeting. Staff and the arena committee representative countered that the local proposal did not involve fighting. The arena committee speaker (speaker 15) said, "He is not doing any kind of rooster fighting," and that the event focuses on showcasing rare and heritage birds.

Council debated several options: an outright denial, immediate approval conditioned on strict controls, or postponement to seek further vetting. City staff described the process: council approval is the first step that allows applicants to pursue vendor contracts and ABC permitting; subsequent phases require detailed vendor lists, health permits and coordination with code enforcement and public safety.

After discussion, Council passed a motion to continue the item for 30 days to allow staff to verify the applicant's history, confirm vendor lists, coordinate with the sheriff's department for any investigative follow-up, and ensure compliance with state restrictions and ABC rules. The motion carried with council support for additional background checks and contingency planning.

The postponement preserves the city's ability to either approve or deny the permit after staff reports back with vendor details, the status of the state's ban, and any required safety conditions.

Next steps include staff outreach to the applicant and arena committee, coordination with public safety and code enforcement, and a council return on the item within 30 days.