Horse Park hearing on permits Horse Park hearing on permits (March 09, 2005)

More than two years after San Mateo County clamped down on the Horse Park at Woodside for assorted problems, the world-class riding center on Sand Hill Road will have a formal public hearing before the county Planning Commission to obtain several operating permits.

The hearing is set for Wednesday, March 9, at a meeting beginning at 9 a.m., in the supervisors' chambers at 400 County Center (corner of Hamilton Avenue and Bradford Street) in Redwood City.

The Horse Park operated -- casually, messily, and without public supervision -- on 270 acres north of Sand Hill Road for 22 years before complaints by the Committee for Green Foothills and neighbors Joan Baez and Eric Brandenburg convinced the county to crack down in January 2003.

After briefly shutting down all activities, the county gave the Horse Park an interim permit. It was allowed to continue holding horse events while it tackled problems and applied for regular permits. Complaints ranged from manure piles and illegal grading, to numbers of horses and control over large horse shows.

With new management, Horse Park spokeswoman Tracy Byars said the Horse Park has solved its problems and will be able to satisfy the county.

"We got 95 percent of what we asked for," she said.

Meanwhile, the Horse Park has announced a full schedule of equestrian shows and events for this year under the interim permit. The first major event will show off hunters and jumpers starting April 28.

For information, check horsepark.org.

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