The County Commissioners formally voted to reject the proposed code changes during this morning's hearing. We have confirmed that the trails will remain accessible under the existing multi use framework. Our focus now shifts to monitoring future trail management proposals to ensure these standards remain protected.
May 11, 2021
Keep Jefferson County trails equestrian friendly
Final supporters
Historically, Jefferson County multi use trails that include equestrians have proven high workability, integrating equines with other users safely, and with responsible riders clearing manure off trail surfaces. Although trail usage has increased over the years, (particularly on the Larry Scott and Olympic Discovery Trail) including equestrian usage,, the manure on the trails has markedly decreased due to awareness and education of equestrians, and there have been no reported safety incidents, due in large part to the awareness and education of all trail users via effective signage. These multi use trails are models of workability and often looked to as shining examples by other trail development committees in other counties who desire to include equestrians on their multi use trails.
As supporters of multi use trails in Jefferson County that include equestrians, we the undersigned, request that consideration of Codes that would impact the usability and safety of equestrians be rejected by the County Commissioners. In particular:
-Reclassification of equines from “livestock” to “pets”
-Requiring equestrians to collect, bag, and remove manure
-Requiring equestrian’s dogs be leashed
Adopting the above requirements would effectively render the trails unusable by equestrians due to the fact that complying would be logistically challenging or impossible, and potentially very dangerous to the rider.
Real time evidence has proven that the education of all trail users on appropriate trail protocol is working extremely effectively.
As an alternative to Codes that would render multi use trails unusable to a vital segment of the community, we propose that instead, serious consideration be given to continuing to influence trail protocol through awareness and education with effective signage visible to all trail users. Such signage could be used to inform users to expect encounters with equestrians and how to safely share the trail, and reminders to equestrians to move manure off the trail surface. Trail users will then be fully informed, and they can then choose to accept the responsibility and risk of using a multi use trail. Again, this method has been proven,
Multi use trails that include equestrians in Jefferson County work! Please support the local equestrian community by rejecting laws that would make the trails unusable for this vital segment of trail users and supporters.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
May 4, 2021
May 3, 2021
We are approaching the one thousand signature threshold and need to reach that benchmark before I submit our formal request for a meeting with the County Commissioners. A higher total strengthens our case when we present the evidence regarding current trail safety and usage. Please direct this directly to your local contact lists today so we can finalize our position.
Reached 100 supporters
May 1, 2021
356 Comments
Requiring a rider to dismount and bag up manure is simply not feasable or safe. How would therefore carry the plastic bag full of manure? Discounting and mounting would be difficult for some, and since horses poop fairly often, getting on and off would be a huge problem.
As equestrians and in many cases, hikers and/or mountain bikers, we use the trails together. Horses are livestock. Equestrians build and maintain the trails we ride. We take very good care of the trails we use for everyone's enjoyment.
Equestrian groups contribute thousands of hours of labor in keeping trails open for everyone's use. Pack animals deliver tools to backcountry areas that would be difficult for hikers and impossible for bicycles to carry.
As a regular trail user, cyclist, I enjoy being able to share the trails with horses, dogs, walkers and runners. This variety makes the experience more rewarding and encourages all participants to be respectful and co-operative.
Please don't take the only place I can safely take my pony and cart away. My husband and I ride our well behaved horses to the Larry Scott Trail. We have NEVER run into anyone who objects or was even concerned. Please, please, don't take this away from us.
Horses are NOT PETS!!!! They are livestock.
Another example of the "new" JeffCo at work...pure idiocy.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
The County Commissioners formally voted to reject the proposed code changes during this morning's hearing. We have confirmed that the trails will remain accessible under the existing multi use framework. Our focus now shifts to monitoring future trail management proposals to ensure these standards remain protected.
May 11, 2021
Keep Jefferson County trails equestrian friendly
Final supporters
Historically, Jefferson County multi use trails that include equestrians have proven high workability, integrating equines with other users safely, and with responsible riders clearing manure off trail surfaces. Although trail usage has increased over the years, (particularly on the Larry Scott and Olympic Discovery Trail) including equestrian usage,, the manure on the trails has markedly decreased due to awareness and education of equestrians, and there have been no reported safety incidents, due in large part to the awareness and education of all trail users via effective signage. These multi use trails are models of workability and often looked to as shining examples by other trail development committees in other counties who desire to include equestrians on their multi use trails.
As supporters of multi use trails in Jefferson County that include equestrians, we the undersigned, request that consideration of Codes that would impact the usability and safety of equestrians be rejected by the County Commissioners. In particular:
-Reclassification of equines from “livestock” to “pets”
-Requiring equestrians to collect, bag, and remove manure
-Requiring equestrian’s dogs be leashed
Adopting the above requirements would effectively render the trails unusable by equestrians due to the fact that complying would be logistically challenging or impossible, and potentially very dangerous to the rider.
Real time evidence has proven that the education of all trail users on appropriate trail protocol is working extremely effectively.
As an alternative to Codes that would render multi use trails unusable to a vital segment of the community, we propose that instead, serious consideration be given to continuing to influence trail protocol through awareness and education with effective signage visible to all trail users. Such signage could be used to inform users to expect encounters with equestrians and how to safely share the trail, and reminders to equestrians to move manure off the trail surface. Trail users will then be fully informed, and they can then choose to accept the responsibility and risk of using a multi use trail. Again, this method has been proven,
Multi use trails that include equestrians in Jefferson County work! Please support the local equestrian community by rejecting laws that would make the trails unusable for this vital segment of trail users and supporters.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
May 4, 2021
May 3, 2021
We are approaching the one thousand signature threshold and need to reach that benchmark before I submit our formal request for a meeting with the County Commissioners. A higher total strengthens our case when we present the evidence regarding current trail safety and usage. Please direct this directly to your local contact lists today so we can finalize our position.
Reached 100 supporters
May 1, 2021
356 Comments
Many of the horse and property owners are the ones that gave up part of their property for the Larry‘s got trail to go through their property. So all these trail users would not have this trail if it wasn’t for horse property owners giving a part of their property for the trail.
Requiring a rider to dismount and bag up manure is simply not feasable or safe. How would therefore carry the plastic bag full of manure? Discounting and mounting would be difficult for some, and since horses poop fairly often, getting on and off would be a huge problem.
As equestrians and in many cases, hikers and/or mountain bikers, we use the trails together. Horses are livestock. Equestrians build and maintain the trails we ride. We take very good care of the trails we use for everyone's enjoyment.
Equestrian groups contribute thousands of hours of labor in keeping trails open for everyone's use. Pack animals deliver tools to backcountry areas that would be difficult for hikers and impossible for bicycles to carry.
As a regular trail user, cyclist, I enjoy being able to share the trails with horses, dogs, walkers and runners. This variety makes the experience more rewarding and encourages all participants to be respectful and co-operative.
Please don't take the only place I can safely take my pony and cart away. My husband and I ride our well behaved horses to the Larry Scott Trail. We have NEVER run into anyone who objects or was even concerned. Please, please, don't take this away from us.
Horses are NOT PETS!!!! They are livestock.
Another example of the "new" JeffCo at work...pure idiocy.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
Many of the horse and property owners are the ones that gave up part of their property for the Larry‘s got trail to go through their property. So all these trail users would not have this trail if it wasn’t for horse property owners giving a part of their property for the trail.