2011 Suffolk County Legislature SUFFOLK COUNTY EQUESTRIAN TASK FORCE REPORT Suffolk County Equestrian Task Force Report Issued Pursuant to Resolution 187‐2009 June 2011 Members Suffolk County Legislator Jack Eddington, Chair Director Sarah Lansdale, Suffolk County Department of Planning Commissioner Joseph J. Montuori, Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Director Pamela J. Greene, Suffolk County Division of Real Estate Gigi A. Asher, Suffolk County Supervisors Association Denise C. Speizio, Nassau Suffolk Horsemen’s Association Janet Plympton, Long Island Professional Horsemen’s Association Vito M. (Rocky) DiVello, Long Island Farm Bureau Elaine Wagoner, Patchogue Medford High School Equestrian Club Gerald Lauber, Suffolk County SPCA Suffolk County Legislature Hauppauge, NY The Suffolk County Equestrian Task Force extends their thanks to Robert Calarco, Chief of Staff to Suffolk County Legislator Jack Eddington and Jessica Kalmbacher, Planner, in the Suffolk County Planning Department for their assistance in preparing this report. 1 Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 1 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Equine History of Long Island ........................................................................................................ 6 Equines and Their Uses .................................................................................................................. 7 The Current Equine Population .............................................................................................. 8 Equine Owners ........................................................................................................................ 8 Equine Organizations .............................................................................................................. 9 Equine Properties ............................................................................................................................ 9 Equine Professions .......................................................................................................................... 9 The Equine Economic Impact ....................................................................................................... 10 Equine Assets ........................................................................................................................ 10 Equine Businesses ................................................................................................................. 10 Equine Expenditures ............................................................................................................. 11 Per Equine Cost..................................................................................................................... 12 Challenges to the Industry ............................................................................................................ 14 Operating Costs ..................................................................................................................... 14 Insurance Costs ..................................................................................................................... 14 Ineligibility for Government Farmland Preservation Programs ........................................... 15 Zoning Ordinances ................................................................................................................ 16 Inconsistent Regulation of Equines and Equine Activities ................................................... 16 Lack of Equestrian Venues ................................................................................................... 17 Limited Trail Network and Trail Access .............................................................................. 17 Limited Equine Education Opportunities ............................................................................. 18 Full Size and Scope of the Equine Industry is Unknown ..................................................... 18 Task Force Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 19 Cooperatives ......................................................................................................................... 19 Equine Activity Liability Statute .......................................................................................... 19 Update Existing Governmental Preservation Programs ....................................................... 20 Equine Zoning ....................................................................................................................... 20 Suffolk County Equestrian Center ........................................................................................ 21 Start High School Equestrian Teams .................................................................................... 21 Expand and Create New Trail Access .................................................................................. 22 Equestrian Survey ................................................................................................................. 22 Resolutions 187-2009, 810-2009, 509-2010, 1018-2010 & 371-2011 ......................................... 23 Glossary of Terms ......................................................................................................................... 34 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 38 Equine Estimate Averages ........................................................................................................ 38 New York State Equestrian Survey ...................................................................................... 38 Blacksmith Estimates ............................................................................................................ 38 Veterinarian Estimates .......................................................................................................... 39 Final Estimate ....................................................................................................................... 40 Equestrian Organizations .......................................................................................................... 41 Sales Tax Estimates .................................................................................................................. 45 Suffolk County Town Equestrian Codes .................................................................................. 46 2 Equestrian Trail Access ............................................................................................................ 50 Suffolk County Soil and Water Best Management Practices ................................................... 54 Equine and Equestrian Property Needs ..................................................................................... 57 Recommended Professional Site Plan ...................................................................................... 63 Establishing High School Equestrian Teams ............................................................................ 64 Works Cited .................................................................................................................................. 65 3 Executive Summary The Suffolk County Equestrian Task Force was formed via Resolution 187-2009, Creating an Equestrian Task Force. Subsequently, Resolutions 810-2009, 509-2010, 1018-2010, and 371- 2011 were passed extending the timeframe for the Task Force to issue its report. The Task Force included representatives from the Suffolk County Legislature; the Suffolk County Departments of Environment and Energy, Parks, Recreation and Conservation, and Planning; the Suffolk County SPCA; the Suffolk County Supervisors Association; the Suffolk County East End Supervisors Association; the Long Island Farm Bureau; and the general public as well as two representatives from the Equestrian Community, one of which was appointed by the Nassau- Suffolk Horsemen’s Association. The legislation directed the Task Force to study and analyze the various issues relating to the equestrian industry and issue this report. To achieve this goal, the Task Force conducted extensive research, ten public meetings over the course of 18 months and held three public hearings on August 24, 25 and 26, 2010 at Huntington Town Hall in Huntington, the Edward K. Griffing Building in Riverhead and the William Rogers Building in Hauppauge, respectfully. This report will provide a detailed look at the history of the equine population on Long Island, the challenges horse owners and those in the industry have faced in recent years and provide turn key recommendations for local governments to adopt to facilitate this industry’s success and provide for its longevity for years and generations to come. The Task Force was also challenged with enumerating the various governmental factors that impact the industry throughout Suffolk, including zoning, liability insurance, government preservation programs, available trail networks