This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.
A portion of the former Quentin Riding Club could have horses once again.
An application for a special exception to allow equestrian therapy services on about 15 acres of the 46-acre site is being prepared by Quentin Associates LLC, township supervisors learned Monday, Jan. 8.
That application could be submitted to the township zoning hearing board by the end of January, township engineer Jeff Steckbeck said.
Approval of a special exception to allow equestrian therapy services in the mixed-use overlay district is required by the township’s revised zoning ordinance adopted in September 2022. While not a permitted use by right, riding academies and public, semi-public or private stables are a permitted use if a special exception is approved by the zoning hearing board.
A television show about a veteran who benefited from an equestrian therapy program sparked his interest in providing something similar on the property, said Quentin Associates’ owner Louie Hurst in a telephone interview.
“She said the program saved her life—it was a touching testimony,” Hurst said.
The opportunity to connect a portion of the property to its riding club history also was appealing—as is the proximity to the Lebanon VA Medical Center, he added.
The township zoning hearing already has approved two applications for special exceptions for the former riding club at the intersection of state routes 72 and 419. Those were for a Wawa convenience store and 120 age-restricted apartments at the northern end of the tract.
Read More: Special exception granted for Wawa store & gas station in West Cornwall Township
Should the zoning hearing board approve the special exception for equestrian therapy services, Quentin Associates will submit a conditional-use application for the entire 46-acre site, Steckbeck said. This application will go before supervisors for approval.
The Quentin Riding Club, chartered in 1935, was a well-known venue for horse shows and competitions for decades. The last show was held in 2018. Quentin Associates owner Louie Hurst bought the property in 2019.
Read More:
- Quentin Riding Club faces foreclosure, historic equestrian destination in limbo as board waits for final offers
- Quentin Riding Club planned for auction
- Quentin Riding Club sells at weekend auction for $2.1 million
- Riding back in time at the Quentin Riding Club
- Quentin Riding Club officially disbands
- Quentin Riding Club’s final flourish: Firefighters train as clubhouse burns
At their reorganization meeting (Jan. 2), supervisors re-appointed Russell Gibble as board chairman, David Lloyd as vice-chairman, and Kim Juliani, planning commission member.
West Cornwall Township supervisors meet at 73 S. Zinns Mill Road on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The next meeting is Monday, Feb. 12. The meetings are open to the public and do not require registration.
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
Free news isn’t cheap. If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community, then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news. You can unlock additional coverage for the community by supporting our work with a one-time contribution, or joining as a monthly or annual member. You can cancel anytime.
