After nearly 18 months of legal battles and turmoil in Wellington and in the equestrian industry, Equestrian Sport Productions has conditionally accepted the Equestrian Village Resolutions approved by the Wellington Village Council on October 22, 2013.
The only conditions to the acceptance are slight modifications to the language of two conditions to reflect the language clarified and voted on by the Council at the meeting.
The Master Plan Amendment approves the additional ingress and egress access off Pierson Road, allowing for access to the Equestrian Village by exhibitors, horse trailers and others. The Compatibility Determination grants approval for the site to operate as a permanent Commercial Equestrian Arena, with year-round uses of the facilities approved by the Council in a conceptual site plan that lays out in detail what the proposed configuration and uses of the property will be. ESP's acceptance of the Resolutions is one of the final steps in the settlement agreement with the Village.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the litigation between ESP and the Village will be dismissed and the legal battles will be over. The end result is one that is a benefit to the Wellington community and allows the parties to move forward with a positive and fruitful working relationship.
The 2014 Global Dressage Festival will operate at the Equestrian Village property under a Special Use Permit as the permanent improvements approved through the new Resolutions phase in. ESP is looking forward to providing the best dressage venue in the world.
Wellington Equestrian Partners managing partner, Mark Bellissimo, commented, "The resolution as clarified is a great victory for the Village of Wellington, the Equestrian Community, and our Partnership. I thank the council for its leadership in passing the Master Plan and Conditional use resolutions and their concern for safety in allowing us to modify the current Special Use Permit to allow for use of the Pierson Road for the upcoming season. I hope that the parties on all sides of these issues will now focus their energy on continuing to build this great community."
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