Mission Viejo council renews 24‑month variance allowing HOAs to use firearms for rabbit control

The Mission Viejo City Council on July 14 unanimously renewed a 24‑month variance allowing four homeowners associations to manage on‑site wildlife "by all authorized means, including firearms," with staff-recommended changes to the conditions that require shooting times to comply with California law.

City staff presented Item 16, explaining the variance had been previously issued under the municipal code to allow HOAs to conduct rabbit‑control activities when damage to turf and other property occurred. Staff recommended reissuing the variance for another 24 months and replacing a condition that had fixed shooting‑time windows with a requirement that any shooting "must comply with the laws of the state of California." The report said site inspections and supporting exhibits documented damage in HOA common areas.

June Anderson, a Casa del Sol board member, told the council the association has used the variance to address turf damage and asked that the option remain available to protect residents and community property. "We would like to continue it," Anderson said, adding that contractors performing rapid‑control activities had not caused night‑time disturbances.

Resident Kathy Palmer spoke in support and noted risks associated with poison baits. "The way that that poison kills an animal is by dehydrating them," Palmer said, arguing that poisoning can cause relay toxicity in birds and other wildlife and that shooting or kill traps are more humane and efficient for population control.

After council discussion the mayor moved the item, council voted to reissue the variances with the staff‑recommended language change, and the motion passed unanimously.

What it means: the four associations named in the staff report — Casa del Sol Homeowners Association, Mission Viejo Environmental Association, Palmea Master Association and Trace Vistas Association — may continue to use the variance option for rapid pest control under the updated conditions. Staff will send the approved conditions letter and continue to enforce any permit terms and legal limits for discharge and safety.

Procedural note: staff said Trace Vistas had not used the variance in the prior period while the other associations had; the condition change replaces the previously enumerated shooting window with a compliance requirement tied to California law. The council did not set additional citywide policy on wildlife control beyond reissuing the variance for those associations.

Next steps: staff will transmit the conditions letter to the four associations and oversee implementation; the council provided no additional direction beyond the variance renewal.

Sources: Staff report and public comment at the July 14, 2026 Mission Viejo City Council meeting. Quotes in this article are taken from the meeting transcript and attributed to speakers who spoke during the item.