Town Fights To Keep Neighborhood Horse, But City Wants Less Mess
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man in New Ulm raised a stink about his unusual neighbor, and the city nearly kicked him out.
Not the homeowner, that is, but the horse living next door.
Chammy, the horse, has lived on the property for nearly 20 years. In fact, the family that owns him has had horses on the property since 1946.
Then, the home was surrounded by farmland. Now, it's in the middle of a neighborhood.
On Wednesday, 2-year-old Kylan and 6-year-old Landon were hesitant about getting too close to Chammy. Their great grandma brought them to see the 28-year-old Tennessee Walker that's been a staple in the neighborhood for 18 years.
"The real fun for us is having all the other people come and see him on a regular basis...it's kinda special," said Charlie Hintz, Chammy's owner.
However, Hintz isn't sure he'll get to keep his beloved horse.
He says that out of nowhere the city sent him a letter that said Chammy had to go.
"It was very surprising and rather disappointing," he said.
Brian Gramentz, the New Ulm city manager, said Hintz's neighbor complained about the mess Chammy makes.
"It was big; it was a big pile of manure," Gramentz said. "I don't think anybody in town should be subjected to a big pile of manure 25 feet from your house."
The pile reached five or six feet tall at times, and the city was forced to take action, Gramentz said.
But the community did not want to see Chammy go.
The townsfolk rallied and signed a petition with more than 1,300 signatures, asking the council to let Chammy stay.
The council is now trying to work out a deal to keep Chammy in New Ulm. The city is working on a solution to grandfather Chammy in, but Hintz has to make sure Chammy's mess is cleaned up more frequently.
Hintz said the pile of manure wasn't that big or that bad; he believes the problem stems from other issues he's had with his neighbor.
The neighbor wouldn't talk on camera, but he said he likes the horse -- just not the manure.
Hintz said the two are working on mending their differences.
