In Norco, bill to require horse poop pickup really stinks
Horses — and the manure they produce — are a big deal in Norco. So it’s no surprise that residents and leaders of Horsetown, USA are concerned about a new bill that would allow California cities and counties to require equestrians to pick up their horses’ excrement on streets and sidewalks. Horse owners and others in the city with a focus on the equestrian lifestyle worry about how the rule would affect their lives and argue that horse manure is good for nature.
“We’re encouraging people to build a community, whether they’re walking together, jogging or riding their horses,” Norco Mayor Robin Grundmeyer said. “It fosters a sense of community and people being able to come together for horseback riding, and it just doesn’t need another aspect of government regulation.” Grundmeyer made clear her city’s opposition to the Jan. 31 letter. “Horse manure is not a nuisance to be solved — it’s a minor inconvenience that comes with having these beautiful, working animals throughout our community,” Grundmeyer wrote. “We will continue to actively oppose unnecessary regulations like AB 233 to protect cherished lifestyles like ours throughout the State of California.” Also opposed to the bill is Republican Assemblymember Bill Essayli, who represents the 63rd Assembly District in western The state Assembly bill Riverside County, said by phone, was introduced earlier this “It’s not practical to have horse year by northern California owners carry all this extra gear Assemblymember Lori Wilson, with them. We have more things to D-Suisun City. “Our frustration worry about than horse manure.” is that people that do not Norco City Councilmember Kevin live our lifestyle are making Bash said he is concerned about rules for us, and they don’t two things. First, even if Norco understand or care about doesn’t adopt the regulations, our lifestyle,” said Bonnie neighboring counties and cities Slager, president of the Norco may choose to impose the limits Horsemen’s Association, a on riders. His second concern is nonprofit organization on a that it’s not simple to get off horses mission to preserve Norco’s to pick up horse excrement. “The horse lifestyle. “We don’t feel problem is in the county and state like that lifestyle is being land, where people ride all the embraced by people in time, riders can’t just get a bag Members of the Norco Horsemen’s Association, from left, Sacramento creating these and carry the bag around,” he Joy Chase, Bill Naylor and Sharron Chandler, ride along a bills.” said, adding that alternatively, it neighborhood trail in Norco. Assembly Bill 233 would would be silly to put diapers on give cities and counties horses. the authority to put restrictions on horse riders and require the Echoing the concerns of Norco officials is the 79-year-old person responsible for a horse to collect and dispose of excrement Slager. Slager owns about 3 acres and 11 horses, whom she has deposited by that horse on streets or sidewalks. Specifics on to clean up after three times a day. For Slager, getting off a horse how they would need to pick up feces would be determined by while on a ride to pick up manure requires more strength than she respective communities. can muster. “I will be 80 this year, and it’s a little harder to get off Introduced Jan. 12, the bill originated from an issue faced by and on as you get older,” Slager said. “The reality is that requiring Wilson during her time as a local leader in Suisun City, which riders to get off with some kind of bag is going to be a challenge for is near Sacramento. She was unable to prohibit horses from anybody.” traveling around school areas, leading to children playing with In response to the bill, Slager expressed frustration and manure, Wilson said recently by phone. Currently, the law doesn’t suggested that anybody supporting the bill should visit Norco require horse riders to pick up after their horses, because the and see firsthand the difficulty of getting off and on a horse. The animal is afforded the same rights as a vehicle, Wilson said by bill is in the early stages of the legislative process, going through phone. Because of this, cities cannot take action. However, Wilson the Committee on Local Government. Alexis Williams, Wilson’s emphasized that the bill would not require or force cities to make legislative assistant, said in an email that a hearing date on AB 233 such regulations. has not yet been set. “This is an issue in my city and as a legislator, it’s my Wilson said she doesn’t want to ruin horse culture but to add responsibility to vote for legislation that I think benefits my district,” public conversation on whether a city wants horses to be allowed Wilson said. “If a community feels it is not needed, then they can to defecate on sidewalks and streets. We regularly have horses deny the bill, but right now they can’t go through the public process pass through our community, which is a beautiful and wonderful because the language in our current legislation doesn’t allow that.” thing, but my particular area had a problem with children and the In Norco, whose leaders sent an official opposition letter to Wilson, manure,” Wilson said. “I love the local public process and I think if opponents believe it would give local governments more control of people want to oppose the bill, because they have strong opinions their lifestyle and deter horse ownership. about it, I’m open to that.” 66
MAY 2023