Toward a compromise on carriage horses that protects horses and advances historic tourism -- what do you reckon?

Last night City Commissioners heard a presentation on carriage horses by an animal rights group.

The presentation left much to be desired. It was more emotional than factual, and was phrased in absolutist terms. It expressed one person's subjective preference that since we now have cars, horses and carriages should be outlawed. How patronizing -- as if one group should decide for all people (and horses). In Short, the presentation shed more heat than light.

It quoted city memos without showing the text in the PowerPoint presentation, unadorned by dates or context.

It gave the same stiff, condescending, cognitive miser manner of the City's grant consultant, FRED FOX, who presided at two "workshops" where the public was not allowed to speak. (See above).

There are problems with horses and carriages using the same roads and the same lanes, but those problems are solvable by reasonable regulations.

Our City needs to set aside more downtown streets for pedestrians, as on St. George Street. Some of those streets should be for people and horses only -- no cars.

Problem solved.

Adding more no-automobile streets will help make our City more presentable to tourists.

It will increase commerce and tourism and create jobs.

It will enhance the proposed St. Augustine National Historical Park, Seashore and Scenic Coastal Parkway.

It will solve the problem of horses and cars in the same traffic lanes.

It will also solve the problem of tourists having to dodge beer delivery trucks and other eighteen wheelers.

There are no eighteen wheelers on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg. Deliveries to bars and restaurants in the historic area take place discretely, after hours, at night.

We have too many cars in a city whose plan predates cars.

Other issues regarding horse-drawn carriages should be addressed after the owners of the carriages (and their veterinarians) have a chance to respond.

Let there be a workshop where the public is welcome to speak -- the way we were when George Gardner was Mayor, before his imperiousness JOSEPH LEROY BOLES decided to start usurping and violating everyone's rights to free speech out of personal animosity to First Amendment protected activity.

At that workshop, let's discuss specific requirements for horse health.

Would it be prudent to limit horse working hours during very hot or very cold weather (defined by ambient air temperature or pavement temperature measured by the Police or Humane Society)?

Do we want more frequent veterinarian exams?

So, St. Augustine, which streets should be limited to pedestrians and horses (except nighttime deliveries or emergencies)?

St. George Street merchants (and their accountants) well know that having a pedestrian street increases profits.

Hopefully, businesses and residents on surrounding streets will support adding new streets, so that people, horses and cars can co-exist peacefully. This will enhance the tourist experience and help attract environmental and history tourists to the St. Augustine National Historical Park, Seashore and Scenic Coastal Parkway.

What do you reckon?