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Hundreds testify against proposed equestrian-code changes; owners warn of closures and loss of therapy programs
Summary
More than 50 in-person speakers and online participants urged the Planning Commission to pause or revise proposed equestrian facility code changes that would impose 200-foot setbacks, hours limits, and conditional-use permitting; speakers said the draft threatens boarding businesses, youth programs, and equine therapy for veterans and vulnerable populations.
The Planning Commission's public hearing on Sept. 23 drew extensive testimony from equestrian facility owners, riders, therapists and residents who said proposed equestrian-code changes would force small barns out of business and harm programs for youth, veterans and people with disabilities.
Dawn Oyan, who identified herself as an equestrian facility operator in Port Orchard, told commissioners: "The proposed zoning and code changes, threatened to make it nearly impossible for many of us to continue operating." Multiple speakers raised similar concerns about 200-foot setbacks for barns and manure storage, hours-of-operation limits and a requirement that facilities demonstrate they are not a nuisance.
Opponents said the rules duplicate existing environmental and nuisance controls, would create an expensive permitting burden (CUPs) and would be effectively punitive to legacy lots and irregular parcel shapes common in Kitsap County. "There is no science base for this [setback]," another commenter said of the 200-foot requirement.
Supporters of some code changes, and speakers urging balance, asked for conditional-use review for larger commercial facilities and stressed neighbor protections. Several commenters urged the county to form a fully representative equestrian working group to re-draft the code and to adopt thresholds that distinguish hobby owners from commercial operations.
Why it matters: dozens of speakers linked equestrian facilities to youth programs, therapeutic services for veterans and local economic activity. Veterinarians and mental-health providers called attention to round-the-clock animal care needs and the risk of interrupting services that many residents said support mental-health and community programs.
What was not decided: the commission took public comment and closed the hearing; no vote on code language happened that night. Staff said comments will be summarized and posted and the commission will deliberate in October.
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