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Zoning board grants variance for veterinary clinic at 601 Army Post Road
Summary
The board approved a variance to allow a new veterinary clinic and outdoor exercise area to be located within about 20 feet of a neighboring residential lot, where current code requires a 75‑foot separation; approval is subject to conditions including screening.
The Des Moines Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a variance that will allow construction of a new veterinary clinic at 601 Army Post Road with an outdoor pet exercise area about 20 feet from an adjacent residential property. The board’s approval reinstates a previously approved plan whose earlier two‑year approval had expired.
Bert Drost, planning staff, told the board that the city code requires a 75‑foot separation between a pet exercising area and a residential property; the property owner previously received approval in 2021 but the prior approval lapsed after two years. Drost said the exercise area is shown on the site plan along the west side of an L‑shaped building and that the applicant proposes an 8‑foot solid fence to screen the area.
Corey Sharp, the project architect, said the team will install a commercial composite decking fence and add landscaping to supplement acoustic screening. Owner Melissa Beyer described current operations at the South Des Moines Vet Center, saying, “Our boarding facility has a maximum number of dogs total at about 25. Those dogs are taken out individually, 1 at a time. Supervised for about 20 to 30 minutes at a time. We do have a daycare, which operates during normal business hours between 9 to 5,” and added that daycare groups are “between 5 to 7 dogs supervised at all times.” Beyer also said dogs are not outside after typical business hours: “None. There's no dogs outside after 6PM.”
A neighboring property owner, Tom Akers, spoke in support, saying the vacant lot has been empty for years and that the clinic would be an improvement. Planning staff recommended approval subject to conditions similar to those attached to the earlier 2021 approval and reminded the board that council review is required for the separation‑distance variance; staff anticipated the city council would review the board’s action at the next council meeting.
After deliberation the board approved the variance; the motion carried. Staff will provide a written decision and order and explained that the variance, if approved, must be reviewed by the City Council per the code for separation‑distance variances.
