Whoa! O.C. Puts a 12-Horse Cap at Orange Park Acres

Ending two years of emotional debate, the Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday restricted the number of horses allowed on a lot in an unincorporated area surrounded by Orange.

The ordinance sets a limit of eight horses per acre, and 12 per property with a permit, in Orange Park Acres. The enclave has had an equestrian tradition for more than 75 years.

“This is absolutely good news,” said David Mains, who spoke on behalf of Horses for Orange Park Acres, a residents group in favor of a horse limit.

More than 80 residents were at the board meeting, many in support of the new limit, but the crowd included those favoring fewer horses and some who didn’t want a cap.

For nearly two decades, Orange Park Acres had no ordinance dictating how many horses could be boarded.

With more public stables in the county closing over the last 15 years, some Orange Park Acres residents began illegally boarding horses there.

Some boarded more than 20 horses on an acre and charged more than $300 a month. The added dust, traffic and noise triggered complaints to the county.

“We had people abusing the system and weren’t good neighbors,” said Board Chairman Bill Campbell, whose district includes Orange Park Acres.

When county code enforcement officers showed up, some residents said they owned all the horses, producing bills of salefor $1 for each additional horse, Campbell said.

“It led to Creative Horse Keeping 101,” said resident Tom Davidson.

For the last few years, the controversy pitted neighbors against one another, upsetting the peace in the community where the minimum lot size is an acre, children grow up riding horses, and 4-H club membership is routine.

Kathy Lucas told the board that she and her neighbors felt that allowing fewer than eight horses would threaten their lifestyle. “In other communities, the gangs are called the Crips,” Lucas said. “But in our community, the gangs are called 4-H and the United States Equestrian Federation.”

Pete Sansoucie, a 27-year resident, boards 12 horses at his home. “If you visit our place, it’s kept so clean and the landscaping is such that you wouldn’t know there were any horses on the property,” he said.

B. Paul Husband acknowledged that some people had boarded too many horses but said imposing a limit on private property was illegal. “It’s an unfair limit of private property ownership,” Husband said.

But a spokesman for the 200-member Coalition for the Preservation of Orange Park Acres said the new limit was too high and encouraged illegal boarding.

“It sets dangerous precedent,” said Richard Rahe, because it tempts homeowners with one or two horses who might want to earn an extra $300 to $400 a month to open up their stables.

“Don’t get me wrong; I’m satisfied we got this much,” he said. “This is a solution, and we have to live with our neighbors.”