9/8/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

0 • Ms. Lewis advised that the pigs go outside to play and go to the bathroom. They let her know when they want to go out and it works out better for her than to require them to use the litter box in the house to which they are trained. During the cool months when she is not using air-conditioning, Ms. Lewis allows them to go out and in through the open back door. Karen Susdorf, 666 26' Avenue, objected to her neighbor, Ms. Lewis, being allowed to keep pigs in her backyard. She believed they belong on a farm, not in a residential neighborhood of 75'x 105' lots. She estimated there were 10-15 feet between the houses. Several neighbors called to complain about the pigs, and were told by a Code Enforcement employee that Ms. Lewis would have to get rid of the animals within a certain amount of time or would have to pay a fine. They later found out that the Code Enforcement Board had "grandfathered the pigs". She recalled that Environmental Planning & Code Enforcement Chief Roland M. DeBlois had informed her that the neighbors would have to submit a written petition stating their objection. The petition was circulated and a majority of the residents signed it. A re -hearing was held by the Code Enforcement Board on July 27, 1998, which several of the neighbors attended but they were not permitted to speak. The Board ruled that no new evidence had been presented. The neighbors were unaware that new evidence had to be presented; they were there merely to present their objection to the pigs in the neighborhood. Ms. Lewis was allowed to speak at the hearing. Ms. Susdorf felt the matter was handled poorly, without respect for the other residents who have rights as taxpayers and citizens of the county. Ms. Susdorf then presented the Commissioners with eight color photographs of the pigs in Ms. Lewis backyard. (Clerk's Note: The photographs have been filed with the backup for the meeting.) She asked how the Commissioners would like to have these pigs living next door to them. She was very concerned about what the pigs would do to the value of her property. She believed a prospective buyer would first notice Ms. Lewis' fence and then the pigs and say, "I really don't want to live next door to pigs." She did not either. She reiterated her belief that pigs are livestock and belong on a farm, and hoped the Commission would take action to resolve the situation. Joan Carlson, Executive Director of the Humane Society, advised that the Humane Society took a position on the issue when the ordinance revisions were first proposed that based on their research, it was not appropriate that pot-bellied pigs be considered household pets. The Humane Society is seeing tremendous numbers of these animals with an over - September 8, 1998 39 BOOK i0G Fmu, 309