Residents call for ban on horse-drawn carriages; commissioners ask staff to inspect city-owned barn and lease conditions

A stream of public commenters at the July 14 St. Augustine City Commission meeting urged elected officials to end horse-drawn carriage operations in the city.

Speakers described repeated observations of horses working on hot pavement, exposure to weather, alleged improper shelter at facilities near Robert Hailing Freedom Park, and traffic-safety incidents involving carriages. Multiple residents asked the commission to add a discussion of carriage operations to a future agenda or to pursue immediate measures, including banning carriages from city streets or replacing them with electric vehicles.

What was said - Zaveria Mota: urged retiring horse carriages and called the practice exploitative for animals forced to pull carriages in urban settings and severe weather. - Catherine Zoda: said she had observed "deplorable" conditions at the site where horses are kept and characterized landscaping proposals to mask the facility as inadequate when compared to enforcement of lease maintenance standards. - Heather Wilson, Carla Wilson, Patricia Ramos Rizzo and other speakers: cited witnessed code violations, safety incidents and concerns about emergency access during crowded events; asked the commission to place the carriage issue on a future agenda. - Chris Taylor (pedicab operator): testified on behalf of the human-powered and electric alternative ride operators and described industry insurance and safety practices that pedicab operators follow.

Commission response and staff direction Commissioners acknowledged the public concern and said they wanted more information. Mayor Nancy Sykes Klein and other commissioners asked staff to inspect the city-owned barn and transfer/holding areas used by carriage operators and to report back with: (a) the current lease terms for the city-owned property used by the carriage operator; (b) the results of any recent inspections by the county animal-ag or code-enforcement offices; and (c) whether lease enforcement steps or ordinance changes are appropriate.

What the record shows The carriage operation uses city-owned property under a lease. Speakers requested transparency about the lease terms and city oversight. Several speakers asked the commission to consider immediate bans or to transition to electric alternatives, citing safety and animal-welfare concerns.

Next steps Mayor and commissioners directed staff to review maintenance and lease compliance at the city-owned barn and return with findings; commissioners said they would consider next steps—including potential ordinance changes or nonrenewal of permits or leases—after receiving staff'produced information.

Ending: The commission did not adopt any ordinance or ban at the meeting; it requested a staff report and directed inspection and review of the leased facility.