Horses on Beach May Face New The St. Johns County Move Would Be to Comply With Sea Turtle-Related Federal Law.

By CHRISTINA ABEL

Because of a new federal law to protect sea turtles’ nests, horses will have to watch where they step on the beaches in St. Johns County.

To comply with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Conservation Plan, the county is considering making equestrians take a class and get permitted before riding their horses on the beach.

At the first of two public hearings on the issue at Tuesday’s County Commission meeting, some Ponte Vedra Beach equestrians said they fear that this will limit their right to ride their horses from Mickler’s Landing onto the beach and that permits now could mean fees in the future.

“It is a unique and uplifting experience for equestrians to ride along the Atlantic Ocean,” said Ponte Vedra Beach resident Ellen O’Brien. “Why are equestrians the only user group at Mickler’s being singled out for permitting? It’s discriminatory.”

But Dave Williams, the county aquatics manager, said that the county has no plans to charge for the permits or to change how horse riders access the beach. He said he just wants to make sure that people are riding their horses in the proper area of the beach.

“There will be many different ways to get permitted,” Williams said. “Everything, for the most part, is going to be passive education.”

The current county code says horses are to remain seaward of the highest tide line on the beach during turtle nesting season.

The federal Habitat Conservation Plan says “due to the considerable pressure concentrated on their hooves, horses could cause harm to incubating eggs if the nest were stepped on. Horse hoof prints on soft sand can create deep depressions that could entrap emergent hatchling sea turtles as they make their way to the ocean.”

But Ponte Vedra Beach resident Patty Peters said the problem isn’t the horses, it’s that the nests are not clearly marked as they are in other beach communities, such as Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach, where orange nettings mark the nesting areas.

The federal program also intends to increase the number of days per year when driving is not allowed on the beach in the southern part of St. Johns County. Because of this increase and the shortening of toll booth hours, Williams said there will be a $45,000 loss of revenue. The program itself will cost between $100,000 and $200,000.

Williams also said the county needs more staff to implement the rules.

St. Johns County Commissioner Tom Manuel said that if this program has to be funded through the county coffers, Williams will have to look for other ways to cut his budget.

“You’re going to have to prioritize your budget, very detailed,” Manuel said. “Your level of service in other areas might decline. I’m not happy with the creeping level of service that has occurred throughout this county. We are an unincorporated area that is the lowest form of government on the government food chain.”

Ponte Vedra Beach resident Jennifer Kaplan reminded the commissioners the horse industry in Florida is large and has a significant financial impact.

“Florida is No. 3 in the nation for horse population,” Kaplan said.

“The horse industry generates $3 billion annually to and in the state of Florida.”christina.abel@jacksonville.com, (904) 249-4947, ext. 6319

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