Nestled between bucolic farmland and the rolling hills of the Diablo Range sits a nearly 10-acre piece of land that Dana De Frates and her husband Jason call their “little patch of heaven.”
The couple moved from Half Moon Bay to Gilroy eight years ago, purchasing a plot of land zoned for agricultural use in unincorporated Santa Clara County. The lifelong equestrian decided at the time to leave her staid corporate job behind to finally realize her dream of educating people on how to become better horse owners.
These days, people bring their equines from across the Bay Area to De Frates Horsemanship to learn new skills, get advice on caring for their animals or just to rekindle the sense of childlike wonder they once experienced with a new horse.
But anxiety and confusion are growing among owners of equine businesses in southern Santa Clara County as officials re-examine the type of development and operations allowed in rural and agricultural zoning districts in unincorporated areas. Particularly alarming for many is a draft proposal of changes to the rural zoning codes that appear to no longer classify horses as livestock or permit stables in the “ag exclusive” zone…