[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6563239,"mediaKeyId","3231265-05e4368850707c0b94d6c581ef1c7618","parentId",3231265,"title","Equestrian Preserve Committee and council agree to review development rules after EPC raises concerns about LDR changes","audioSeconds",2512,"startMs",4323000,"endMs",6835000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3231265-05e4368850707c0b94d6c581ef1c7618&start=4323&end=6835","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3231265-05e4368850707c0b94d6c581ef1c7618/thumbnail_4323000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6563239/Wellington/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Equestrian-Preserve-Committee-and-council-agree-to-review-development-rules-after-EPC-raises-concerns-about-LDR-changes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563239-7ffde913c0b00cc2234a2a93a21329f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182383&Signature=TJseewwX9zdl5OTRypOKlJ69Wmc-JZmSnDeDlRvIOWxR~pfLay~KI~5Dhmr2gE7b4aXaoNmhoGaHNpatKz5de5WerjFs5jdINJMIMHfLavSUqSTbYjmtrQojGet5GYpArQBTXT-120NzUrsTTDqKsKt6qujtWSqScxPw-Hmj3SyM4l1nBc34GrNTWH~4CW-VM1~ELqilmqJmD7x2Nh5DfLDGu1QmJeTaTNnl5N87QWBPWPJc4cgk~iEtAHvCpn9jjNAyLtQlSUiGrwms6T7pSEpwoQo5TA8QGLqX6FcOxtf75JA92jx8ZXiUfpI5beUxijVzJSV4bAC-rhkFZUqQDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wellington","date","2025-05-07T00:00:00Z","article","Members of the Village of Wellington Equestrian Preserve Committee (EPC) presented a one‑page set of guiding principles to the council at a May 7 joint workshop and urged a targeted review of the Village’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs), specifically section 6.8.0.8. Committee members said the current LDR language could be interpreted to allow cluster or planned unit development (PUD) patterns across the Equestrian Overlay/Zoning District (EOZD) in a way that, they argued, conflicts with the village comprehensive plan’s stated goal to preserve large‑lot equestrian farms and open space.

Why it matters: EPC members and other speakers said the LDR interpretation could permit clustering of houses and commercial uses inside areas intended to remain predominantly equestrian in character. Committee members asked the council to confine a review to the identified LDR section and to recommend any needed clarifying amendments to preserve the EOZD’s equestrian focus.

What the committee asked: EPC members explained they had spent multiple meetings drafting the guiding principles to provide a consistent review framework for projects affecting equestrian uses, trails and open space. They asked staff and council to:

- Review LDR section 6.8.0.8 to ensure its standards align with the comprehensive plan’s objectives for the EOZD; and
- Prioritize operational items the committee can pursue right away, including bridle‑trail upgrades, trail safety and enforcement mechanisms, and coordination with Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) on traffic and trail enforcement.

Council response and next steps: Council members and staff did not adopt any ordinance at the workshop, but several council members expressed support for a confined, solvable fix to the LDR language. The mayor and staff advised the EPC to place the matter on a future EPC agenda, work with planning staff and village attorneys, and, if appropriate, craft a recommendation to the Planning & Zoning Advisory Board (PZAB) and then to council. The mayor characterized the workshop as a chance to develop consensus language and emphasized he would prefer a narrowly scoped amendment rather than reopening broad elements of the comp plan.

Trails and operations: The EPC also emphasized the importance of maintaining and improving bridle trails— footing quality, mowing frequency, fencing and signage—and asked the village to clarify permitted uses (e.g., bicycles, motorized vehicles, polo practice) on specific trail segments. Staff cautioned that enforcement raises operational questions (which agency enforces non‑motorized rules, whether certain trails are private or village easement, and equipment access for canal maintenance) and that any changes would need to balance emergency and maintenance access in canal rights‑of‑way.

Records and background: EPC members said they had not been given a red‑lined comparison showing how the LDR text changed between prior drafts and the adopted version, and they requested clear documentation of the changes; staff acknowledged that targeted review and clearer cross‑references between the comp plan and LDRs would be useful for future project reviews.

Outcome: Council and staff agreed by workshop consensus to add a targeted review of section 6.8.0.8 to upcoming EPC work and to coordinate with planning staff on a limited set of possible amendments and an outreach plan for affected stakeholders. No formal legislative action or code change was taken at the workshop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wellington - Equestrian Preserve Committee/Village Council Joint Meeting on 2025-05-07 6:30 PM - May 07, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a May 7 joint workshop the Equestrian Preserve Committee presented seven guiding principles and asked council and staff to revisit land‑development rule language (section 6.8.0.8) and comp‑plan alignment; council members signaled consensus to place the topic on the EPC agenda and pursue a focused amendment.","taxTitle","Wellington, Palm Beach County, Florida","taxId",8863,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6563245,"Wellington International says attendance, prize money and VIP demand rose; outlines multi‑million dollar upgrades",3423,871000,4294000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3231265-05e4368850707c0b94d6c581ef1c7618&start=871&end=4294","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3231265-05e4368850707c0b94d6c581ef1c7618/thumbnail_871000.jpg","/articles/6563245/Wellington/Palm-Beach-County/Florida/Wellington-International-says-attendance-prize-money-and-VIP-demand-rose-outlines-multimillion-dollar-upgrades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563245-c6328e420801b3196bd6d98327cb8dfd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771182383&Signature=NWpLqpA-MxYkXD4svf~8qkP89TKtllX6Ba6C5jDQkORLZtNg84BZs2LY3dU5Xi9muNAeAYgg4S7rNCwUBbq0bc-~tJlrrRMuWAxM7998RWyvEbqcuM~HBev41ZaHWKhugxl10q2SDQsVzYhEWqBLJXHnVDY2PMiY65cxliwdXnMe6nCidxTznbHmlu2q-hgwk8VmYpc4KUgpYtQjatqWgxdx66E3J2TJ4Q07Ig3qt-6cTr2JqRtOuCI6p8KbA5XADPpeToYejdL6RE8T7EuNKW7bGqLGLZxSsQSFaCB5MPzOz~l0owRwFzo1BdIpGVu5~bx6V0N1~aqV9SLpebTf5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Murray Kessler, chief executive officer of Wellington International, told the Village of Wellington council and the Equestrian Preserve Committee at a May 7 joint workshop that the Winter Equestrian Festival and related events saw increased entries, spectators and media exposure this season and that organizers are pressing ahead with capital upgrades and infrastructure improvements.

Kessler said the Winter Equestrian Festival sold out every weekend of its 13‑week run. He provided figures he said reflect the season: about 17 percent more horses competing than the prior year, representation from 50 countries, $15,000,000 in prize money awarded, 139,000 VIP tickets sold (a 59 percent increase), roughly 365,000 spectators and 473,000 livestream viewers (up 61 percent). “We gave away $15,000,000 in prize money,” Kessler said, and added the operation “sold 139,000 VIP tickets,” figures he said were driven by investments in production, hospitality and facilities.

Why it matters: the horse shows are among Wellington’s largest annual sporting and tourism draws, and Kessler said the events generated an estimated $400,000,000 in economic impact to Palm Beach County during the festival period. Those numbers factor into local planning, permitting and discussions over public support such as bed‑tax allocations.

Capital and operational changes: Kessler described a series of upgrades already under way or planned, many intended to address long‑standing complaints from exhibitors and visitors. Items he listed include: replacement of major arena footing (international arena, schooling area and the main lunging ring); resurfacing or replacement of several rings (including rings 11 and 12, referred to as “Pony Island”); electrical and water upgrades to support kitchen operations and thousands of meals served on busy nights; new LED stadium lighting and color control for special events; new jumbotron/video scoreboards and expanded camera coverage for Saturday Night Lights broadcasts; Wi‑Fi and sound improvements; and expanded maintenance and housekeeping programs.

Kessler said Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP), the site owner/operator partner he named in the presentation, supported larger‑than‑expected year‑one capital requests. “When I told them what I thought I needed on year 1, after I got in there and did it all, it was about 50 percent bigger, and they didn't blink,” he said.

Pod F and covered arenas: Kessler said work tied to the Pod F expansion is moving forward. He said steel for a covered arena at Pod F had been ordered and would begin to arrive “in the next two weeks,” and that a second covered arena is planned near the site of the roster/international ring once permitting is completed. He said Pod F will include permanent FEI‑level stabling and that early facilities (including a new Derby Field and drainage) are intended to be high quality; he described staging some semi‑permanent structures in the first year to preserve flexibility before making permanent builds.

Dressage and programming: Kessler acknowledged that dressage entries and related revenue lagged this year—he said that under previous ownership, marketing and mailings for the Dressage series were delayed until December, which depressed early sign‑ups. He said organizers are hiring a director of dressage, plan stronger year‑round marketing, and expect improved sponsorship and hospitality for dressage next season. “Dressage sponsorship will be up, I think Dressage hospitality will be up,” he said, while adding he was planning conservatively for horse counts while improving the guest experience.

Fees and prize money: Producers and trainers raised concerns at the workshop about entry and administrative fees shown on competitors’ invoices. Kessler responded that the operation distributed more prize money than it collected in entry fees and that the event’s primary revenue streams are hospitality and sponsorships. He also said prize money will increase next season, a move he said would benefit competitors.

Public funding and bed tax: Workshop participants asked how state or county changes to the bed tax would affect Wellington International. Kessler said county support to the horse shows is limited compared with the event’s economic footprint; he estimated county funding to the show is around $125,000 and said a proposed change in bed‑tax distribution could reduce that support and have about a $50,000 impact on the show if reduced.

Operations and community impacts: Kessler described efforts to reduce dust and mud for exhibitors, including replacing pathways with improved footing, cleaning drainage mats under rings, and adding rings on Pod F so non‑competing horses can exercise away from primary competition rings. He said the organization has expanded staff, maintenance equipment and food and beverage capacity and had technical enhancements such as multiple broadcast cameras and mic’d jumps to enhance the spectator experience.

Timeline and next steps: Kessler said many upgrades are slated to be completed in phases over the coming year; he gave optimistic estimates that parts of Pod F could be in use by the 2027 season, subject to permitting and construction timing. He urged community members with ideas to submit them to the advisory committees or through the operation’s email collection process so staff can evaluate suggestions.

Kessler closed by reiterating the central aim: to keep Wellington International “the premier horse sport destination in the world” while improving the facility for competitors, owners and residents.","Wellington International CEO Murray Kessler told a May 7 joint workshop the Winter Equestrian Festival season saw higher entries, larger purses and digital exposure, and he described a multi‑year capital plan including new footing, rings and covered arenas tied to the Pod F expansion.","actionData","errors"]

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Equestrian Preserve Committee and council agree to review development rules after EPC raises concerns about LDR changes

Wellington International says attendance, prize money and VIP demand rose; outlines multi‑million dollar upgrades