Yucaipa Again Tries to Clean Up Egg Ranches

The Yucaipa City Council today will deal with a familiar problem: the flies and stench created by three egg ranches in the northern part of the city.

Council members are scheduled to discuss whether to implement tougher standards for manure management at each of the facilities – Hoover Ranch 7, Eggmaster Inc. and Hidden Villa Ranch – as well as stricter fines for any future violations, according to the council agenda posted on the city’s website.

All three facilities are located in the North Bench section of the city, and they have a history of causing environmental problems stemming from the accumulation of manure and management of the chickens, mayor pro tem Greg Bogh said.

Each chicken ranch has agreed to increase the number of weekly waste removals at their facilities. Waste will not be allowed to accumulate at each operation for more than three days, Bogh said.

The current limit is five days. Each facility can be fined up to $500 for a manure management violation, a sum that will be increased if the ordinance passes.

The fly problem has surpassed the stench problem during the past few years, Bogh said.

“I started on the council six years ago, and back then the bad smell was the bigger problem, but most of that seems to have gone away,” Bogh said. “Now the flies are the problem, and they’re a problem everywhere. I live on the west side, and if I go to the park I see them.”

The council will also consider rezoning that part of the city to make it easier for the ranch owners to sell their properties.

Rumors have also circulated that Hidden Villa might purchase all or part of Hoover Ranch 7, but Bogh said he could not confirm or deny that speculation.

“That would be a private transaction anyway,” Bogh said. “If it happens, the city wouldn’t be involved.”