The York County Planning Commission voted Oct. 8 to recommend approval of a special-use permit that would allow Paws Pet Resort LLC to establish a commercial kennel with outdoor play areas at 1205 Lightfoot Road.

Staff told the commission the request, application UP-1059-25 and resolution PC 25-24, would permit four outdoor play areas attached to a renovated existing building on a 3.1-acre parcel in the Economic Opportunity (EO) zoning district and within the Tourist Corridor Management (TCM) overlay. Planning staff recommended approval subject to conditions including submission and approval of a site plan, an animal-waste management plan, maintenance of a Type 25 transitional buffer along the western property line and an opaque, 8-foot fence around the outdoor play areas.

The proposal would remodel and expand the existing structure with a rear addition of about 60 by 65 feet to provide indoor kennel space and four outdoor play areas, each 400 square feet, according to the staff presentation. Staff said parking standards require one off-street space per 350 square feet of floor area (excluding kennel space); based on the building size stated in the applicant’s narrative, staff said the project requires eight spaces. The site currently has five standard spaces and one handicap space, so three additional spaces would be needed before final approval.

Staff said the parcel’s western property line has a 20- to 25-foot band of mature woodland that, together with the proposed opaque fence and required Type 25 buffer, would mitigate noise for nearby properties, including the adjacent Holiday Inn Club Vacations Williamsburg Resort. “Due to these considerations and conclusions as noted, staff recommends approval of this application subject to the conditions set forth and proposed resolution number PC 25-24,” the staff presenter said.

Applicants Kelly Lusk and Maggie Masters addressed the commission at the public hearing. Lusk said the business operates an existing location and wants to relocate and expand to reduce crowding and improve employee and animal care. “It is very rare that the dogs are barking when they're outside,” Lusk said, describing her current, busier site near a gravel pit and railroad where ambient noise is common. She also said the business boards about 45 dogs now and that the expansion would increase capacity; she said the plan is for the facility to be staffed and for dogs to be outside under supervision five to six times daily and to be kept inside after 8 p.m.

On fencing and noise mitigation, Lusk said, “we would like to do the solid fence… whatever we have to do to mitigate the sound.” She also said the existing on-site septic “has been inspected, and it’s passed for the use that we're having” and that an animal-waste-management plan is being developed.

Commission members asked about noise, buffers and utilities. Planning Commission member Mr. Titus asked how many dogs the facility would handle; the applicant said the expansion would provide space for “60 to a 100 kennels” and that they currently board about 45 dogs and regularly turn away daycare requests because of capacity limits. A commissioner asked whether any adjacent properties, including the timeshare resort, had submitted objections; staff said they had not received comments from the Holiday Inn property.

Several commissioners said they were concerned about sound but satisfied with the proposed buffer, fence and limited outdoor hours. Planning Commission member Mr. Chamberlain said he was “more concerned about the sound than normal” because timeshare guests pay to use outdoor space, but added he would approve with the proposed conditions. Planning Commission member Mr. Brooks said he “really had no concerns” and called the application “a great proposal.”

Planning Commission member Mr. Brooks moved to adopt resolution PC 25-24 recommending approval of the special-use permit. The roll-call vote recorded yes votes from Mr. Brooks, Mr. Criner, Mr. Smith, Mr. Titus and Mr. Chamberlain; the motion passed. The commission’s action is a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors; staff noted additional approvals (site-plan review and the animal-waste-management plan) will be required before the use may operate.

The applicants, the staff presenter and commission members emphasized the conditions and the requirement that site-plan and waste-management approvals be completed before the project proceeds. A specific Board of Supervisors hearing date was not stated at the meeting.