Owners of horse-related businesses in Larimer County have new rules to operate under that should make life easier for them, say backers of the new regulations.
“It’s very uncommon for government to actually relax regulations, and this is a dramatic example of that,” said Linda Hoffman, director of Larimer County’s planning and building services division.
Hoffman headed a group including stable owners and horse association and 4-H representatives, as well as rural county residents. They were tasked with revamping horse-business regulations that have been on the books since 1988.
Those old rules were so expensive and time-consuming that many horse businesses — including as many as 70 stables and riding clinics — opted not to report their operations to the county.
The new regulations set up a system that takes into consideration the size of the business.
Horse boarding, for instance, would be considered an accessory use — part of a house or farm — and a use by right for four horses on properties up to 10 acres.
Smaller businesses would face a public site review and would pay 50 percent of a $300 fee for the review during a year-long transition period, according to the county. Much larger equestrian operations would undergo a review under a point-based formula that measures the size of the use and its impact on neighbors.
The new rules take effect Sept 7.
Kathleen Kilkelly —a member of the working group — said the revamped regulations make better sense for horse people in Larimer.
“I think it’s a lot more fair and equitable than what we had before,” she said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
