Prospects seem good that the Horse Park on Sand Hill Road will continue and improve, both as open space and as a world-class equestrian center under the vigilant eye of its supporters, neighbors, and San Mateo County.
The mood was positive Oct. 10 as the San Mateo County Planning Commission began hearings that should lead to renewing the Horse Park’s operating permits by sometime next spring. “It has become a really important part of the community,” said Kate Hitch of Menlo Park.
Since 1981, the Horse Park at Woodside has been a regional center for horse events, ranging from cross country jumping to dressage shows. It is located on 270 rolling acres north of Sand Hill Road between Whisky Hill Road and I-280, and leased from Stanford through 2017. Fondly remembered as “Guernsey Field” for the cows that grazed there, the land has been proposed over the years for a high school, a golf course, and a tree farm.
Speakers, letters and commissioners agreed that the Horse Park is a valuable community asset that has come a long way since it was almost closed down in January 2003. They also agreed that it still has major tasks to accomplish before its permits are renewed.
“I’ve seen tremendous improvement, but they also have problems,” said Joan Baez, a neighbor across Whiskey Hill Road who has been both cheerleader and critic since the Horse Park was established in 1981.
Started by the Combined Equestrian Team Alliance, the Horse Park promoted numerous equestrian activities — including shows, training, carriage driving, cross-country jumping, polo, and dressage — for 22 years with no oversight by the county. Finally, the housekeeping — such as manure disposal, erosion, and sedimentation — built to the point that neighbors and the Committee for Green Foothills complained, leading to the threatened shutdown four years ago.
After a year of discussions and turmoil, the Planning Commission unanimously approved a set of two-year permits in March 2005. These allow stabling of 100 horses on the property, and up to 430 temporarily during events. Up to 400 participants could be registered for a single event; up to 800 people could be on the property at one time. The permits also allowed addition of a new permanent stable, a composting facility, maintenance and storage barns, and grading.
The county permits also imposed numerous conditions the Horse Park was to meet before seeking a seven-year renewal in 2007.
According to the county staff, several of these conditions — such as grading, parking, erosion control, keeping of horses, and scheduling events — have been met. But others are still in process.
The commission last week ordered that all conditions be fulfilled before it considers a new permit in early 2008. “The key thing for us now is compliance,” said Commissioner Jon Silver.
Larry Gimple, the new full-time director for operations, promised, “I was hired to bring the Horse Park to a new level.”
Beauty
The sorest issue is the appearance of the large field sloping down to the intersection of Sand Hill and Whiskey Hill roads. Drought-brown and scarred by cross-country riding and jumping trails, the vast swath inspires observers with dreams of spring-green meadows sparkling with wildflowers and home to birds and wildlife, as galloping horses soar over jumps.
A number of measures are being taken to restore the old “Guernsey Field.” Landscape architect Bruce Chan noted that the staff has been mowing grass, planting seeds of native grasses and wildflowers, and starting new valley oak trees on the meadow. “Next year we should get good wildflowers,” he said hopefully.
Lennie Roberts of the Committee for Green Foothills argued that current management was producing too much dust, erosion and sedimentation, even for a drought year; she suggested the Horse Park hire a good consultant on rangeland management. “The goal is to continue to have some grass cover year-round,” she said.
Several speakers suggested bringing cows back to the Guernsey Field to “mow the grass.”
Ms. Baez wanted the field to look beautiful again, but also worried about water use. “Dust has to be kept down. … It looks more like a motorcycle run,” she said. “But water use is tremendously important coming into a drought.”
Traffic
The other biggest unresolved issue involves safety at the Sand Hill Road entrance to the Horse Park where people have to slow down to enter and speed up to leave the driveway.
The county permit requires the Horse Park to install a right-turn lane for westbound traffic and a left-turn lane for eastbound traffic. This needs to be done before the park hosts an event drawing 800 people, the condition reads, or before April 30, 2009.
Mr. Chan noted the park has reconfigured and widened the entrance, and its traffic studies have not supported the need for extra lanes. “Our largest event drew 400 people,” he said. “We’re happy with that.”
Mr. Gimple said the average event draws 200 people who come and go at different times. “We don’t get a huge influx of people at one time,” he said.
Mr. Silver supported installation of turn lanes even if traffic counts don’t justify them. “People drive past at high speeds,” he said.
Mr. Silver also praised the positive tone of the meeting. “It’s nice to see the parties come together toward achieving a win-win solution,” he said.
For information, go to horsepark.org.
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