Equine-focused letter greatly misleading

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 I was struck by a recent letter in The Reflector’s with a catchy headline: “Equine Plan a Trojan Horse.”

As a rural horse owner with three kids participating in 4H groups for ten years, I was curious to read the message. It sounded frightening and extremely dismal for horse enthusiasts in the county. The letter referenced awful things associated with Clark Co. Code 40.260.040. I checked the code online and was shocked to see it had very little to deal with the litany of proposed outcomes as claimed in the letter. It alluded to the closure of animal feed, farm, saddle and tack stores; restrictions on farriers, veterinarians, equestrian groups and horse health centers.

The code just requires lots for animal feed, sales and boarding facilities to comply with site plan reviews. Structures for feed and sales must be located 200 feet from property lines. Odor, dust, noise, and drainage do not constitute a nuisance or hazard to abutting property. Animal boarding facilities must comply with county noise standards. From 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. animals must be housed in enclosed soundproof structures. 

That is all.



This sounds quite reasonable. It has very little to do with the host of ills illuminated in last week’s letter and is associated with good animal stewardship. I, and most of my neighbors, would not appreciate a new animal feedlot, sales lot, or large-scale swine production suddenly appearing adjoining my property.

The letter writer grossly exaggerated the consequences of the code. She deliberately miscast it in a most misleading way to be something it is not.