GRESHAM, OR (KATU/CNN) - Things have hit the fan, so to speak, over manure in an Oregon neighborhood.
Ernie Loy and Rosalie Newman live next to a pile of horse and chicken manure their neighbor, John Riddell, dumped, and they dispute his reasons for it.
"I said, 'John, why's the manure there?' He says, 'well, I', planning on planting,'" Newman said. "Well, I've been living here for 10 years and he's never planted a thing."
Riddell hasn't commented publicly on the dispute. Neighbors allege the manure is Riddell's response to complaints that he was burning tree stumps.
Loy said it has changed the aesthetic of the area and has driven away the wildlife he once enjoyed watching.
"We even had a pheasant come over the fence one morning, just walking across the back yard," Loy said. "But since this has happened, there hasn't been a bird, a cat - the only thing that's out here now are flies."
The flies are Newman's biggest concern. She's a cancer survivor with a weakened immune system and doesn't spend time outside now because of the manure pile.
"They carry diseases, so I come out here and water my flowers and then go right back inside," Newman said. "I can't stay out and read my paper."
Loy looked into the matter, and found that's it is permitted use, provided the planting takes place.
"The city code says as long as it's for a legitimate farm or agricultural use, you can accumulate livestock waste," Loy said. "This isn’t legitimate farm or agricultural use. This is a neighborhood nuisance."
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