Agenda - Council - 02/27/2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMBERS OF CITY COUNSEL AND RAMSEY PLANNING COMMISSION We are submitting this formal complaint notice for the conditional use permit to raise horses on less than the minimum requirement of land in Ramsey. I am unable to attend this meeting in person as I am out of town on business. I hope the committee will consider the concerns of several of the surrounding neighbors regarding this conditional use permit. I have lived on a farm my entire life, and have raised cattle, pigs, sheep, poultry, and ponies as a young child. The property for the proposed conditional use permit has currently supported four horses with only a 50' paddock available for exercise and pasture. A horse needs much more room to get up and run, kick their heels and "feet their oats." Since there is no pasture on the property, the animals need grain and hay. On a farm, one usually grows grain or other crops and in turn, there is a place to get rid of the waste and manure. On two acres of land, there is no place to get rid of manure in a proper sanitary manner without affecting neighbors with odor or attracting rodents. Manure piles have become larger and larger with no place for disposal. Horses in general need good fencing as they are always trying to reach the "green grass on the ' other side of the fence." When these animals were fenced on this 50' paddock, occasionally they were running down the road or in neighbors' yards up to one mile away! In a normal farm setting, there is usually someone around to care for animals on a twenty-four hour basis. In a residential situation, people are more likely to work away from the house and consequently when the animals get loose the responsibility falls on the neighbors. This is why I do not raise livestock on my 128 acres. The main reason people raise horses is for the pleasure that comes from riding them. The road in front of this residence has no shoulders or ditches, and has a speed limit of 55 mph. There have been many people cruising down Cty. Hwy. 64 coming up over the hill at a high rate of speed not expecting to see a dark horse or a black buggy plodding along at two mph making for a hazardous situation for unsuspecting motorists. In closing, these are my arguments against the conditional use permit: 1. There is no safe place to ride horses on our road, a. Not safe for riders or horses b. Not safe for drivers on narrow roads at speed of 55mph 2. No place for manure disposal 3. No quality pasture land with feed 4. No people to maintain horses and fences 24/7/365 5. No place for animals to exercise twelve months a year The reason for this ordinance is to avoid these situations. We are no longer a rural community. We are very much a suburban area with heavy traffic and high speeds and getting worse every I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ! I I I