Greensboro residents William and Bobbie Pate live on a beautiful swath of land off Twin Rivers Road, which features a waterfront view of Lake Oconee.
They also have a menagerie of five dwarf goats with their own housing, complete with a barn, standing platform, and enclosure.
In correspondence with Greene County, the Pates have been informed that their goats are not welcome in their backyard or anywhere within the property’s footprint. This has stirred up a heated debate, with an attorney questioning the county zoning law that prevents the goats' habitation.
According to the county, the Pates’ property is zoned Lakeshore single-family residential (LR1), which prohibits such animals on LR1 properties. Where goats are permitted, Section 9.26.2 of the current zoning requires a minimum square foot area — which the Pates do not have.
The Pates moved to the county in 2022 but bought the land in 2018. Additional property was also bought across the street from the home.
They previously lived in Gwinnett County, where they claim they had two goats for 11 years. They see the goats as their companions and now claim in documentation to the county that they are emotional support animals and protected by the Federal Fair Housing Act.
The government classifies emotional support animals as animals that provide support to help individuals with several emotional disabilities, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Any animal can become an emotional support animal. Federal law does not require these animals to have any sort of training, and owners do not need to be physically disabled.
Documentation from a licensed professional is needed before registration, and then animals are placed in a national support registry database.
The Pates contend that by buying in 2018, no specific ordinance was in place, and the new ordinance preventing such habitation was put in place in 2020. They were met with a county compromise that would allow the goats to live across the street from their property, which would need extensive fencing enclosures.
The Pates claim their support animals need to be within viewing range and easily accessible. Because of the large driveway, they see the concession as not a viable option, as they would have to haul food and water up to the location.
According to County Manager Byron Lombard, the Pates were notified of the code violation several months ago. Then, they appealed the zoning code's enforcement to the Board of Commissioners, which ultimately denied the appeal.
“The county is working hard to find a reasonable accommodation that balances the need of the property owner, but also the character of the neighborhood in the compatible use of the surrounding properties,” said Lombard.
Both William Pate and a granddaughter, Bianca, who resides with them, say they have clinical depression.
“I have these goats for a good reason,” said William. “They need to be within eyesight, or it will complicate my depression. Our granddaughter has the same needs, and we feel we have sufficient reason to keep them where they are.”
Bianca’s therapist documented recently that she met the diagnosis for owning a support animal and claimed the goats are key to her treatment.
Further, she stated that grounding and stability are key for her well-being and that Bianca needs unimpeded line-of-sight and easy access to the goats. Bianca claims to feed them, nurture them, and nurture a mutual relationship.
In a letter sent to the Pates last December, the county contends that all of the residential neighborhoods in the district in which they reside are low-to-medium density, emphasizing single-family homes.
Additionally, there is code preservation of the surrounding area’s natural beauty along the lakeshore, and historical and archeological sites are to be preserved by the district and the governing rules.
The Pates claim that another accommodation to consider may be a spot on the front lawn, but the county’s position on the idea is unclear.