Orangevale Horse Owners Protesting Senior Living Facility Proposal

ORANGEVALE (CBS13) - Animal lovers are involved in an unusual protest, fighting over the future of farmland in Orangevale where a new nursing home is being proposed.

"There's no reason for it. My God, you got other places around here to build," one protestor said.

The farm fight is all about a piece of land home to open fields for small crops and horses to graze, but a developer wants to build a 43-acre nursing home with 472 beds.

"It has no place in this area, and if they allow that in what else are they going to start allowing in?" protestor Nancy Neice said.

Neice says more cars, people and parking spaces are not what Orangevale needs. She and others brought their animals to the developers' meeting to make a point: keep it country.

Little Kristen Rodocker's horse, Twitchy, can't talk but she knows he'd agree with her.

"Twitchy would probably say, 'I'm agreeing with my mom because I don't think we should build the place because I would have nowhere to eat and play around with my friends,' " she said.

The developer of Trellises Senior Care Community didn't want to speak on camera, but says the impact to Orangevale will be minimal and the senior citizens won't cause any problems.

Neice says they are missing the point.

"It's OK for the retirement community, but just not here in Orangevale," she said.

While many will continue to fight with farm friends in hand, some are worried big business will win in the end.

"Money talks and whatever walks," one protestor said.

The developers still have to get approval from the county before building can begin.