Oakley residents push back on horse stable, event center proposal
Clay Atkinson and other Oakley neighbors fought a horse stable, riding arena and event center at 388 East Boulderville Road, warning it could change a quiet road.
A proposed horse stable, riding arena and event center on Boulderville Road drew immediate resistance from Oakley neighbors who said the project could bring trailer traffic, parking pressure and a different kind of activity to a street they still see as local, not event-oriented. Nearby property owner Clay Atkinson was among those pressing the Eastern Summit County Planning Commission to scrutinize the project’s scale and its fit in the rural corridor.
The application, listed as the Raduenz Commercial Stables, Riding Arena and Event Center, covers 388 East Boulderville Road and carries Project #25-015. Summit County identified Kim and Tim Raduenz as the applicants and put the proposal before the planning commission for public hearing and possible action on May 7, 2026, at the county services building in Kamas. The project is moving through a conditional use permit process, which puts the commission in the middle of a familiar Summit County fight over whether a specialized use still belongs in a neighborhood that has long been treated as rural ground.
Supporters have described the facility as something narrower than a public venue, saying it would function as a private riding site for a small group of young riders who have trained together for years. Residents at the hearing were not persuaded that calling it private erased concerns about how many vehicles, trailers and guests the use could bring to Boulderville Road, or how emergency access would work if the corridor became busier.
The dispute lands in a part of the county where land-use decisions carry outsized weight. Summit County says the Eastern Summit County Planning District serves the unincorporated areas around Henefer, Coalville, Oakley, Kamas and Francis. County planning staff said in 2021 that only four areas in eastern Summit County were zoned Commercial at the time: Bear River Service, Echo, Wanship and Woodland. Staff also said the point of a more limited commercial framework was to provide services within reasonable distance of homes while minimizing impacts.
Horse-related development has stirred conflict before. In 2021, Silver Creek residents were preparing to sue Summit County over approval of a 14,000-square-foot riding arena on a 2.5-acre lot, a fight that underscored how quickly equestrian projects can become flashpoints when neighbors believe the scale no longer matches the setting.
Oakley’s own discussions about a localized master transportation plan for future growth and traffic calming only sharpen the stakes. For Boulderville Road residents, the question is whether the Raduenz proposal remains a private riding facility or becomes another precedent for heavier use in eastern Summit County.
Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?
Submit a Tip
