New hope dawned today for horse enthusiasts hoping to let their ponies continue to swim at Cedar Beach in Southold.
Officials pulled the plug on popular gathering of equestrians and their horses at the county beach after some neighbors voiced environmental concerns and other complaints.
Yesterday, Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski met with Southold resident Jill Franke and Cindy Hilary, a member of the Pony Swim group, at Cedar Beach to discuss a possible solution.
The idea, Franke said, involves allowing horse owners to bring their ponies to the beach one night a week, probably Wednesday or Thursday, during June, July, August and September, from 5 p.m. to dusk. The caveat would be that the beach, and the water, would have to be left pristine, with horse droppings scooped out of the water and off the beach.
If, after an inspection, any droppings are found on the beach, the event would be nixed once again, Franke said.
“We talked about what they were interested in and I reached out to the Suffolk County Parks Commissioner Greg Dawson,” Krupski said. “The prohibition on horses on the beach has to be addressed first.”
Next, Krupski plans to reach out to Southold Town Trustee John Bredemeyer about water quality testing. “We have to work through the water quality issues,” Krupski said. “So we’ll see. It’s a work in progress.”
Krupski said he was happy to meet with Franke and Hilary at Cedar Beach. “You have to listen to people,” he said.
Also, Krupski said efforts could tie in to his two-year mission to see the parking lot at Cedar Beach repaired. “That’s totally the county’s responsibility,” he said.
Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, Franke said, has worked with her for months on the issue.
“I know there is an ongoing discussion between the county and some horse owners but I haven’t been informed of any decisions,” Russell said today.
Earlier this week, elected officials also weighed in on the ongoing issue.
Krupski has said that regulations prohibit horses on county-owned properties; he also cited environmental concerns for Southold Town’s already fragile waterways.
Those advocating or Pony Swim said they’ve received some support from Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker and have suggested water testing before and after the swims, to see if there are any impacts on water quality.
Earlier this month, members of Pony Swim met with county officials to submit their petitions and also to implore officials to allow the beloved tradition to continue.
