Wild boars roaming, destroying parts of South Bay neighborhood

MORGAN HILL, Calif. - Sometimes, the NIMBY complex, where neighbors band together to keep an unwanted item out of their neighborhood, can be a good thing.

"We need to do something. It’s ruining our lower meadow, and it’s tearing up neighbor’s yards all over the place," said Chris Wood, president of the Holiday Lake Estates Homeowner’s Assoc.

Forty-one years ago, Wood traded Manhattan’s view for this one in Morgan Hill. But over the past few months, the view has soured to what’s been captured by surveillance video: At least two herds of wild pigs, running through streets, and destroying yards and the meadow in this 500-home hillside community.

"And it’s dangerous. You cannot have pets or children out after dark. Because they will attack you," said resident Tessy Albin.

Many residents are pointing to the Valley Water District’s draining of Anderson Lake, which began a few years ago. That action is for seismic retrofit.

But many claim it opened the door to as many as 50 uninvited guests each night, who walk across the dry lake, and into this neighborhood.

"Even in dry years, when the lake has been down, it’s never been totally dry. And this is the worst it’s been," said Albin. Added Wood, "They’re here to feed. The second thing is they can become quite vicious."

Residents such as James Evans, who comes to the meadow to walk his two dogs, said the relaxing exercise is becoming harder to perform.

"It gets worse and worse. There’s less grass you can walk on. You’re stepping on mud and pig poop. It’s just relentless," said Evans.

In an email statement, a Valley Water Dist. spokesman wrote, "Valley Water is not the entity responsible for wild pig management. We understand how frustrating wild pigs can be…. However, we have not seen any evidence…the lowering of Anderson causing this issue."

With the water department saying it’s not their fault. And no clear word yet from state or country, one of the few solutions being floated is to corral the would pigs, and then because they can’t be released elsewhere, state law requires they be shot and killed.

"Which is a challenge for some of the neighbors who live around there," said Wood.

Saturating the soil with pig repellant is a stopgap measure.

As another night looms, neighbors here fear the sounds of squeals and hooves will once again destroy their piece of South Bay tranquility.

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on Twitter @JesseKTVU  and Instagram @jessegontv.