The Villa Rica City Council failed Tuesday to override the veto filed last month by Mayor J. Collins of the altered zoning of Stockmar Park to allow a farm animal exhibit.

Councilmen Verland Best and Patrick Henrickson voted against the override motion, causing it to fall one vote short of the supermajority necessary to do so. Henrickson plans to make a proposal next month to provide the park with a special land use permit to allow the animals only in the portion of the park where they are currently housed — roughly 3.6 acres.

The City Council unanimously voted in August to alter the zoning of the park to allow the farm animals, which have been one of the park’s most popular attractions since the exhibit was set up last November. Collins promptly vetoed the action, stating he was wary of changing the zoning of the entire park for the animals when only a portion of the park was needed.

Though Collins said it was never his intention to get rid of the animals entirely, a public outcry of support to save the animals quickly grew after the veto was announced.

“Is this real clear for everybody, that we’re not going to get rid of the animals?” Collins asked the group of exhibit supporters who had gathered at the council meeting.

Best, who first brought the matter up for rezoning, echoed the mayor’s comments that it was never his intention to get remove the animals from the park.

“When this first started, it was quite obvious that whole area is a PUD (planned-use development) and according to our bylaws you cannot have animals in a PUD — bottom line,” he said. “Because of some other people in our city who have some issues with animals, I think it is appropriate that we follow our own rules. I don’t think we should allow our own people to do things we don’t allow you individual people to do. That’s the only reason I brought it up. All I was asking to do was to take the area where the farm animals are located and rezone that area so they can stay. How it got blown all out of proportion, I don’t know, but at no time I don’t think any of us have said we want to get rid of the animals or anything else right now.”

Though the override attempt failed, the animals don’t have to be removed while officials work through the special land use permit process because state law doesn’t force government entities to conform to their own zoning codes. Technically, the area for the animals doesn’t have to be rezoned.

“I don’t think it’s mandatory that you rezone it to comply with state law, but it is common for cities to follow the ordinances it creates so you can say to the populace that we’re following our own laws,” City Attorney David Mecklin said.