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• Dr. Michael Murphy, University of Minnesota Extension Office, conducted a site visit <br />and determined our use is in keeping with appropriate standards and the number of horses <br />should not be an issue, especially relative to adequate feed for horses. City codes about <br />horses are a little vague in this area, but it appears the primary concern is that horses have <br />adequate food by grazing. Our horses are fed hay and grain that meet all their nutritional <br />needs. The turnout area serves as an exercise area, not a source of food <br />Numerous neighbors provided written and/or verbal support for horses on our property; <br />adjoining property owners who have lived here since 1979 stated in writing that horses <br />have been on the property at least since then <br />• In fact, aerial city photographs taken much earlier show our bam and turnout, as well as <br />an oval track that no longer exists. The bam has been here for more than 60 years and a <br />variable number of horses has been on the property for the same period of time <br />At the time of subdivision that created our property, the City Council tacitly approved the <br />continued use of this p'-operty regarding horses by leaving the bam and its use intact. The <br />only documentation pertaining to the number of horses occurred in 1987 when the city <br />advised the previous owner that two horses were permitted. The bam was originally a <br />nine>horse bam <br />• In late 1988, when we purchased the property we were told of this documentation by our <br />real estate agent and the previous owner when we were shown the property. Our use has <br />not changed fi:om the previous owner, except for improvements <br />This property is 3.68 acres, well over the two-acre minimum for RR-IB zoning district. <br />It adjoins other two-acre or larger parcels and the Luce Line Trail (and horse back riding <br />trail designated for horses only) and other open space, including a shared private <br />driveway. The city flies on our property include a reference to 4.2 acres; this may be so, <br />accepting at face value the previous owner's statement that it measures 4+ acres, “when <br />you include the driveway ” <br />• The turnout area used by our horses has vegetation of various plant types every summer <br />(We even have to mow it!) and we have maintained the same-sized area that was used by <br />the previous owners. <br />7; <br />rr rej j <br />i