60% of Top Ten Equine Friendly Places to live are in California! See who else made the list!

A little while back ELCR participated in a study (Equestrian Community Zoning, November 6, 2004) of communities considered equestrian-friendly by nature based on zoning provisions, facilities, municipal services, etc. The study went a step further and made recommendations for how to achieve more equestrian friendliness in communities. That study, as well as a couple of articles equine attorney Julie Fershtman wrote about horse-friendly zoning, can be found on ELCR’s Library of Resources pages at the following URL:

http://www.elcr.org/index_resc_B.php

For those who are not already aware, please note that the communities listed below (in no particular order) have been identified as being equestrian-friendly.

1. Tempe/Scottsdale, Arizona
2. Tryon, North Carolina
3. Granby, Connecticut
4. Marin County, California
5. Sweetwater, California
6. Mead Valley, California
7. Jurupa, California
8. Norco, California
9. Rolling Hills Estates, California
10. Bridle Trails Subarea, Bellevue, Washington
11. Putnam Township, Michigan
12. Highland Township, Michigan
13. Cattaraugus County, New York
14. Greenwich, Connecticut
15. Loudoun County, Virginia
16. Wellington, Florida
17. Aiken, South Carolina

We would like to know if anyone has any to add to the list and, if so, would you please offer a comment or two about why they should be considered equestrian-friendly?

Conversely, if you are aware that any of these are struggling to remain equestrian-friendly, we would welcome that information as well. [For example, the following blog entry from 2007 suggests that Scottsdale is losing its unique horsey character: http://blogtheholmgroupaz.com/2007/08/27/az-republic-once-a-horse-friendly-town-scottsdale-loaded-with-ranch-conversions/].

We would also like to know whether you can identify model attributes of equestrian-friendly communities that are not discussed in the 2004 study.

Thank you.

Cynthia Higgs
Equestrian Partners Coordinator
Equestrian Land Conservation Resource
4037 Iron Works Parkway, Suite 120
Lexington KY 40511
(859) 455-8383 -Ph
(859) 455-8381 -Fx
chiggs@elcr.org