Earle to resident: ‘Hold your horses’

Earle to resident: ‘Hold your horses’

Council on the fence about ordinance allowing horses in the city

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Earle City Council is holding off giving a resident its blessing to build a horse pen until they can determine whether their ordinances allow for horses or not.

Billy Kirtley told the Council that he bought a horse for his granddaughter and wants permission to keep it on three acres located north of Hwy 149 north of the Apollo Acres subdivision.

“I have three acres of land out on 149 just past the gravel road going to the waste ponds,” Kirtley said. “I have enough room there that I can make a stable and put a round pen out there for the horse.”

Kirtley said he came to council first to see if they have any objections before he goes ahead with his plans.

“I am asking permission before I go through all of the expense of making the stable and buying the round pen, which will cost me about $4,000,” Kirtley said. Kirtley told the council that he would meet with Building Inspector Bobby Luckett first to go over the details of what he is proposing to do to make sure he isn’t breaking any laws and that it is up to code.

“I would prefer if he came down there and we went through it,” Kirtley said. “That way you will have a better understanding of what we want to do. “ And then I will come back before the council to see if I can get it approved.”

Councilwoman Jimmie Barham said she did not have any problem with allowing a horse on the property as long as the building inspector signs off with his approval.

“Thank you for being so far thinking as to come and ask us,” Barham said. “I don’t know how all the council feels. I think it would be a good idea for the city inspector and you to go over it and then report to us.”

Councilman Robert Malone said the city had problems with residents having livestock in the past, which forced them to pass an ordinance restricting what could be kept inside the city limits. “We do have ordinances,” Malone said. “We had the same thing a number of years back. Alady had some cows. Our ordinances didn’t go too far.”

Councilman Donnie Cheers also expressed some reservations.

“The problem is going to be what’s to stop his neighbor from bringing donkeys in?” Cheers said. “If we change the ordinance, that’s the type of problem we run in to.”

Kirtley said another property owner on the same road had horses at one time, and there are currently horses on property across from the high school.

“Those people have enough land and the facilities to keep the horses,” Kirtley said. “I can’t say whether anybody has had a problem with the smell.”

Kirtley said he will make arrangements to haul the manure off and to lessen any smell.

“There are enough chemicals that they make that I can keep the smell and the odor under control,” Kirtley said.

Mayor Sherman Smith urged each councilmember to drive out to the property and look at it.

However, either way they decide, Smith said it may still take an ordinance amendment to allow the horse.

“You can’t say yes to one and no to other folks,” Smith cautioned. “You don’t know how many other people will come and want some horses. When we first passed that ordinance, people had pigs and chickens and it was stinking and all that kind of stuff. We were trying to disallow that kind of stuff.

“I’m not saying I am against this. But it is an ordinance. And the ordinance may need to be amended to how you allow it.”

The council will revisit the issue at its March meeting.

By Mark Randall