The weekend rodeo on five acres of land on Riverside Road makes
it clear that San Benito County must create a set of reasonable
ordinances to deal with the changing nature of the county we live
in.
The weekend rodeo on five acres of land on Riverside Road makes it clear that San Benito County must create a set of reasonable ordinances to deal with the changing nature of the county we live in.
While the county says there is no doubt this rodeo is illegal – it attracts hundreds of people as well as cattle – and is working to shut it down, it is not the only complaint to arise from five-acre parcels this year. Dirt bike racing and a spat involved a neighbor raising 500 roosters on Lone Tree Road are other examples where we see the growing tension between country neighbors who live closer together than they have in the past.
So far, the supervisors’ response to those complaints has been piecemeal. Supervisor Don Marcus is working on a crowing fowl ordinance to deal with the roosters, and the planning department and Sheriff Curtis Hill are working to shut down the rodeo.
But as our county changes these disputes will continue to crop up. There are many five-acre parcels in the county, the result of subdivision laws that allow owners of land zoned for agriculture to sell off portions for homes. The land retains the zoning, along with which comes an invitation to do things that your neighbors may find annoying.
As the county continues to produce these five-acre parcels, supervisors are creating an interface between urban and rural uses that will continue to stir up problems. The time has come for them to muster the political courage to craft a comprehensive ordinance that will resolve those issues.
We’re not saying that all agricultural uses need to go by the wayside – it would be a shame if San Benito’s rural roots were lost in the name of housing – but there must be reasonable regulations with permits to allow for unusual circumstances such as parties or weddings. At the same time, people who move to the country need to realize the consequences of doing so. There may be animals and they may be a bit noisy – such is rural life.
Still, there can be a compromise. An ordinance can be crafted that protects people’s property rights and their ability to use their land for certain agricultural uses while respecting the rights of their neighbors to live in some modicum of peace.
The time has come for our county supervisors to step up to the plate and create regulations that respect the rights of all involved.
