Following a September 7 public hearing, Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members approved a special zoning permit for the construction of a covered horse riding ring at an equestrian property at 121 Huntingtown Road.

P&Z members unanimously approved the project submitted by Katherine and James King of that address. The 3.9-acre property in a R-2 (Residential) zone is known as King's Bridge Farm. The farm provides training in horseback riding and offers horse boarding services.

Winter weather poses tough conditions for equine activities outdoors, Ms King told P&Z members. The farm wants to build a covered horse ring so that horse activities can proceed in the wintertime, she said. The farm has long wanted to build a covered horse ring, she added.

Plans call for a 5,900-square-foot horse ring. The 27-foot-tall structure would have a truss-style roof. The pavilion-style facility would have a wall five feet tall positioned along the perimeter of the structure. The ring would measure 100 feet by 59 feet.

The presence of a horse ring would not change the nature of the farm's business, but would allow horse activities to occur in the covered ring during the wintertime, Ms King said.

Mr King, who is a builder, would construct most of the horse ring.

The structure would be situated toward the rear of the property, behind a house, garage, and the farm's main barn.

George Benson, town director of planning, told P&Z members that the horse ring plans meet applicable zoning regulations. Those rules require that the ring be at least 100 feet away from adjacent properties.

During the public comment section of the public hearing, Adrian Armanini of 118 Huntingtown Road, who lives across Huntingtown Road from the farm, said he is concerned about how visible a riding ring would be from his property.

Mr King said that he would prefer that a horse ring be positioned farther back on the site. He pointed out, however, that the placement of the structure is based on where the zoning regulations allow it to be positioned.

P&Z member Donald Mitchell said he does not expect that the applicants would be able to get a zoning variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals to position a horse ring elsewhere on the site.

P&Z Chairman Robert Mulholland asked whether the applicants would plant some vegetation on the site to serve as visual screening to obscure the presence of a horse ring. Ms King responded that such vegetation would be planted.

P&Z members then approved the covered horse ring application.