A large, sometimes emotional public hearing on the Year of the Rural draft focused overwhelmingly on proposed changes to equestrian facility rules. Dozens of speakers urged the Planning Commission to reject or substantially revise the equestrian provisions, saying proposed setbacks, hours and permit requirements would close barns, harm youth programs, reduce therapeutic services and undercut local businesses.

Multiple speakers described barns as community hubs that support 4‑H, therapeutic riding, youth mentorship, veteran services and small-business ecosystems that include farriers, veterinarians and feed stores. Dawn Oian, an owner of an equestrian facility in Port Orchard, told commissioners the draft “will effectively shut down horse boarding” by imposing setbacks and animal‑density limits that make operations unworkable. Annie Braddock, a lifelong equestrian and trainer, said the draft’s hours-of-operation restrictions would conflict with animal-care needs and veterinary best practices.

Other speakers stressed economic and social ties: Cliff Peterson of Joy Equine and several parents and youth described the role of barns in mentoring and mental‑health support; volunteers and nonprofit operators highlighted free programming and community events that would be constrained by new permit costs and rules. Representatives of the Kitsap Community and Agriculture Alliance asked for an agriculture advisory council and for greater staffing to support agricultural policy.

Staff response and process: Staff said the equestrian code is a draft drawn from prior county code conditions, existing conditional use permits, and provisions used by other Washington counties. Heather Cleveland noted that the equestrian code would not be retroactive for legally existing facilities but would apply if the intensity of use increases (for example, boarding horses where none were boarded previously). Staff also said an equestrian facility code working group of nine representatives has been convened and that three meetings are scheduled to refine the draft before the Board of County Commissioners hearing.

What speakers asked: Repeated requests included withdrawing the equestrian code from the Year of the Rural package until a fully representative stakeholder process could be convened; grandfathering existing uses in a way that avoids subsequent permit vulnerability; clarifying definitions (nuisance, hours of operation); and removing arbitrary setback distances (commenters referenced a proposed 200-foot setback for paddocks and manure storage). Several speakers asked that the county enforce existing laws rather than add new duplicative regulations.

Why it matters: Equestrian activities are widespread across Kitsap’s rural areas and connect to youth programs, therapeutic services and small businesses. Commenters said the code as drafted would make many small facilities financially infeasible and would reduce access to services and open‑space experiences for residents.

Next steps: Staff will compile public comments and present them, with analysis and a deliberation table, to the Planning Commission for scheduled deliberations on Oct. 7 and Oct. 21. An item of particular interest will be the output of the equestrian facility code working group and any recommended changes before the Board of County Commissioners’ hearing in November.