Plainfield council tables proposed permit ordinance for horses on public ways after hours of public comment

Plainfield City Council on July 6, 2025, tabled an ordinance that would have added a permitting requirement for horses on city streets and other public property, after more than a dozen residents and stakeholders testified for and against the change.

The measure, introduced as an amendment to Article 7 (Animals) of the city code (MC2025-26), would create a no-fee permit administered by the city clerk and reviewed by the police director, require proof of vaccinations and health records for animals, and establish escalating penalties for unpermitted riding. The council voted to table the ordinance to allow staff and legal to draft clearer language addressing conduct, cleanup and enforcement.

Supporters of horses told the council the practice has deep cultural and therapeutic value in Plainfield. “Removing horses from our streets eliminates one of the few enriching hands-on experiences still available to many of our children,” said Dr. Laura M. Diaz, a pediatrician and Plainfield resident, during the public comment period. Multiple speakers described longstanding traditions involving the Crazy Faith Riders of New Jersey, equine therapy programs at local schools, and volunteer rides that bring children to stables and parades.

Opponents and some council members framed the proposal as a public-safety and administrability question. The business administrator and corporation counsel told the council the city already licenses other activities and that a permit process is a lawful way to protect public safety while allowing horses in appropriate circumstances. Corporation counsel said comparable permit approaches exist in other New Jersey municipalities, and the city’s clerk and police director would draft implementing regulations.

Council members asked several detailed questions about how permits would work in practice, whether permits would be single-event or multi-day, how rain dates would be handled, and how the city would address waste cleanup and rider conduct. The administration said the process would be no-fee, that permits could be issued for specific dates or series of dates at the clerk’s discretion, and that vaccine and health records would be required with applications. The draft ordinance currently ties enforcement penalties to riding without a permit; council asked staff to add explicit conduct and cleanup requirements.

After discussion, a motion to table passed on roll call. The council directed staff to draft clarified language and to return the ordinance for further consideration. Council members and administration emphasized they did not intend to ban horses but sought a workable regulatory framework that balances tradition, equity and safety.

Quotes during the hearing ranged from clinicians describing therapeutic benefits to veterans and youth, to stable operators who said their horses are trained and that riders regularly clean up after animals. “A permit system is not the solution. It’s just a backdoor to more red tape,” said Dr. Tristan Cox, a rider who testified in opposition to a restrictive permit system. Veterinarians and stable managers urged regulations that protect animals and riders without criminalizing long-standing community activities.

The council did not adopt ordinance language on second reading; instead it voted to table MC2025-26 and asked the clerk, police director and corporation counsel to prepare a revised draft that would add clearer conduct standards, cleanup expectations and implementation details before the ordinance returns to the council.