[TowerTalk] Moving to AZ

[Jim Lux]

At 07:58 PM 2/2/2005, Roger (K8RI) wrote:
>Although this is getting a tad off topic I can not imagine keeping a 
>single horse on such a small lot.  Here in the Midland MI area the minimum 
>is 6 acres to keep a horse.  That's not per horse, but it's a minimum for 
>any horses.  I don't remember the limits
>
>Minimum lot size for a home is either a half or full acre.  With the 
>requirements for "green space" that will eventually be much larger for 
>rural areas.  The only limits (in most townships) is in the neighborhood 
>of 80 feet. Beyond that it requires a building permit and proper 
>engineering. Stamped drawings are not required.
>
>Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL Life Member)
>N833R World's oldest Debonair
>www.rogerhalstead.com

It does come up occasionally (and heck, you could use the pipe corral as 
your ground plane).  1/2 ac sounds small, BUT...
A standard pipe stall is 12x24 ft.  Put a couple in your backyard and it's 
only about 500 sq ft.  Out of 20,000 odd square feet in the lot, it's not 
all that much.  A typical lot in such an area (now we're getting to tower 
installation relevant data) would be maybe 100 ft wide and 200 ft 
deep.  The house sits in the front third of the lot and might have a 
footprint of 5000 sq ft(incl garage, driveway, etc.), so, sucks up maybe 
the front 75 feet, leaving an area 125x100 ft in the back yard.  Lots of 
folks put up a small 2 or 4 stall barn.. a pair of 12x12 stalls or 
in-n-outs on each side plus a 12 foot aisle down the middle.

Still plenty of room for your guy anchors and tower footing.. and you can 
put a LOT of radio gear in a 12x12 foot room.

In these tracts, there are usually fairly well developed bridle paths 
running behind the lots (or on the street side.. parallel or instead of 
sidewals) so you can get your horse out and ride down to whereever you need 
to go (trails, practice ring, etc.).

The real challenge is the muck heap/manure pile (particularly during the 
rainy month).  You can't just fling the stuff over the back fence, but have 
to arrange/pay to have it hauled away.

I have an 8 yr old and a 11 yr old who both ride, so I've been fielding a 
lot of the "why can't we have a horse in the back yard" questions recently. 
(Totally out of the question on a 5000 sqft lot, even for a mini.)  I keep 
telling them.. when you get to be 18, you can do what you like.