Opinion: Santa Clara County is coming for equestrian, farming and ranching communities
Under the county's draft Rural Zoning Amendments, horses could lose their long-standing agricultural status, potentially subjecting stable owners and boarding operations to new and costly land-use restrictions. CA 19 congressional candidate Peter Coe Verbica daylights the issues below, from a campaign press release.
US Congressional candidate Peter Coe Verbica called on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and the Planning Department to reject proposed zoning changes that would remove horses from the "livestock" classification — a move that has stirred deep concern among equestrians, ranchers, and rural property owners.
"Reclassifying horses as something other than livestock is more than a bureaucratic tweak — it's an attack on the rural character and heritage of Santa Clara County," Verbica said. "For generations, horses have been part of our agricultural fabric, our local economy, and our family traditions. This proposal threatens to upend all of that."
Verbica, who grew up on a cattle ranch in Santa Clara County, warned that such measures would "squeeze out small stable owners and make it nearly impossible for the next generation of riders, 4-H participants, and working families to enjoy and care for horses in this county."
"As someone who understands ranching, property rights, and responsible land stewardship, I'm standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our equestrian community," Verbica added. "County leaders should be working to simplify compliance — not re-define the meaning of agriculture in a way that punishes responsible horse owners."
Verbica emphasized that horses are integral to California's agricultural economy — supporting farriers, feed stores, veterinarians, trainers, and breeders across the state — and that arbitrary reclassification could ripple through those sectors. "This is about more than horses," Verbica said. "It's about protecting rural life, property rights, and common sense."
Read the whole thing here.
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