Factual errors /unhappy ending

Faithful readers of the Local probably have learned more than they want to know about this odorous community problem. The article appearing in last week's edition [Local, July 15, page 5] would suggest a happy ending, that Mr. Earl Ross has complied with a court order limiting him to one horse on his property, that he has removed horse-related structures from his property, that he has removed the horse trailer and truck from their permanent parking spot on Anderson Street, that he move a steel cargo container ("storage shed") to a point no closer than ten feet from his property line and that he only maintain his solitary equine within a garage structure that has been converted into a proper horse stable. Not one of these orders has been complied with!!! 

Another important factual error in the article needs to be addressed. The opening sentence describes Mr. Ross as "an East Mt. Airy resident who kept two horses and a pony on his one-acre Phil-Ellena Street property.” At no time during the last several years have there been fewer than four horses on the property in plain view. Mr. Ross himself stated in court (under oath) at the June 28 hearing that he had six horses on his property — which, incidentally, is closer to one half of an acre. The very conditions that prompted over one hundred Mt. Airy residents to sign a petition seeking relief still exist, as anyone could attest to by a visit to the Anderson and Phil-Ellena streets vicinity.

One last point. The article repeats a statement by Mr. Ross, printed in the Local on a previous occasion, that his difficulties are "a result of a domestic dispute between, myself, Howard Klein [sic] and Jim Foster, complainants."  It needs to be made clear, once and for all time, that it is the City of Philadelphia that has been and is the plaintiff in all actions against Mr. Ross for a number of violations of City ordinances in addition to the creation of a public nuisance on his property. At each of the court hearings, in addition to the statements of neighbors, testimony to that effect was provided by representatives from Licenses & Inspections, Zoning, the Board of Revision of Taxes and Animal Control.

Unfortunately, you'll have to stay tuned. A positive outcome for this East Mount Airy Community is still far from assured.

Harold E. Klein
Mt. Airy

Mr. Klein lives across the street from Mr. Ross.

Correction

In last week’s issue (July 15), in the article “Mt. Airy horse owner issued permanent injunction,” we erroneously reported that Nate Alston of East Mt. Airy said his neighbor, Earl Ross, had only one horse on his property. Alston told the Local he never said Ross had one horse only. Ross, who has kept as many as six horses on his property according to neighbors, was ordered by a Philadelphia judge to keep no more than one horse. –Ed.