Equestrian Center Clears 1st Hurdle

In a departure for fast-growing south Orange County, a developer is asking city officials for permission to build an equestrian center rather than tract homes in the rolling hills of San Juan Capistrano.

Although the planned equestrian center--which would be the largest in the state--seems more in keeping with San Juan’s rustic atmosphere, the horse plan is not without some hitches.

The developer, Advanced Real Estate Services, wants to build an upscale facility that would accommodate as many as 3,000 horses as well as a veterinary hospital, a clubhouse, restaurants, an event center that could hold up to 1,000 guests, and even individual living quarters for horses.

Some neighbors of San Juan Meadows, 148 acres of grassland south of San Juan Creek Road and east of Interstate 5, said they’d prefer the houses to the horses. Others, though, said the horses would complement the area and that the prevailing wind would probably sweep away any obnoxious horse odors.

On Tuesday evening, the San Juan Capistrano City Council voted 4 to 1 that the proposed switch from houses to horses is worth further study.

Mayor Pro Tem David M. Swerdlin voted against the change.

“My tendency is to think they’re proposing regional use, to take advantage of the closing of other stables in Orange County,” he said. “I’d like to keep our small-town feel rather than even see this get started.”

Rick Julian, president of the Lake Forest development firm, said he is bucking trends by walking away from his right to build more than 300 homes on the land and make it available for horses instead.

“As we were studying every use we could imagine for this property, this came out as the No. 1 alternative,” Julian said. “It’s a pretty bold undertaking, but I’m convinced it will be very successful.”

Julian said horse stables are at risk elsewhere. An equestrian center at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa may downsize and the stables at the mothballed El Toro Marine base may eventually be forced out.

About two years ago, the developer began looking into alternative uses for the land, which is zoned for 325 homes and part of a landfill that closed in 1976.

“We had planned to do homes, but we decided that we could develop the San Juan Meadows equestrian facility and wind up in the same realm economically,” Julian said. “And we could also elevate the image of San Juan Capistrano into a world-class equestrian community.”

Dave Provence, who manages the nearby Sycamore Stables, currently the city’s largest equestrian facility with 465 horses, said he would welcome the new facility.

“We need more stalls for horses down in this area,” Provence said. “It’s an interesting project. I’m not sure if there’s enough business to warrant 3,000 stalls, but we’ll see.”

It also remains to be seen just how 3,000 horses might smell to the residents of Capistrano Terrace Mobile Home Park, located on a hill just below the property.

But Julian said residents shouldn’t worry.

“I think we can show that the prevailing winds blow away from [the mobile home park], and above the facility is open space,” he said.

Resident Jim Nanzig agreed. He computes that the horse smell would probably waft toward the nearby San Juan Hills Golf Course.

“I think this would be kind of cool,” he said. “It would maintain the rural nature of our little park.”

John Meridith, Nanzig’s neighbor, said he’d rather live with the smell of horses than more homes.

“We’ve got enough houses in this area,” he said.

Michael Massen, though, wasn’t enthusiastic when he heard about the possibility of 3,000 horses living just up the way.

“That’s right in my backyard,” he said. “The smell of those horses, no way.”

Julian conceded there is legitimate concern about horse manure and the possibility of contaminating the water table.

“We will probably be installing a collection system,” he said. “So we won’t be contributing to the water table anyway.”

The proposal includes wedding and banquet facilities, ranchettes or private living quarters for horses as well as training and show rings. It will also provide access to equestrian trails through the hills and along San Juan Creek.

“I don’t think there’s anything west of Kentucky that would compare with what we’re doing,” Julian said.