The Mecklenburg County Planning Commission approved a rezoning request to allow a daytime dog daycare at 71 Saw Mill Road, the former Morgan Lumber Company site.

Applicant James Moody described plans to divide roughly one acre of his larger property to site a prefabricated building for a dog daycare and grooming, serving about 10 to 15 dogs during daytime hours only. Moody said the family uses the larger warehouse on the property for storage and that his granddaughter Katie Moody will run the daycare.

Moody told the commission they had already purchased a 48‑foot prefabricated unit, planned to tie in sewer and water, and had obtained a sewer permit. He said neighbors he had spoken to “all seem to be okay with it, primarily during the daytime.” Commissioners discussed code and access requirements; a commissioner noted that the developer must meet DDOT standards for a commercial entrance and that the structure would be required to meet building codes for this use. After a motion, a second and a voice vote the rezoning was approved.

Key details from the hearing: Moody said the daycare would operate only during the day, not overnight, and that initial operations were expected to be small enough that the granddaughter would likely run it with minimal staff. He said the site already has water and that sewer work was permitted or in process. The applicant indicated limited traffic would be added to the site beyond the property’s current low level of commercial activity.

What happens next: with rezoning approved, the applicant must meet county building‑code requirements and any DDOT entrance standards before opening. Permits for water/sewer connection and any site modifications will be processed by county staff.