DeWitt board says zone change underway after groomer finds 4901 Jamesville Road restricted

Megan Henson, a pet groomer who recently opened a business at 4901 Jamesville Road, told the Town of DeWitt board she had signed a lease, spent thousands of dollars renovating the former funeral home and only later learned the site’s zoning would block her operations.

Board members said the town is drafting a zoning amendment to extend the Hamlet Zoning District down Jamesville Road to include parcels such as Henson’s, and they described the multi-step process that would be required before her business could be formally permitted.

The exchange began when Henson asked the board what to do after planning and zoning staff told her March 3 that the site’s designation would not allow her to operate. Henson said she changed her business plan from boarding and grooming to grooming only, signed a lease in February and placed contractors and equipment into the property before discovering the zoning restriction. “I’ve now invested thousands of dollars into this property,” she said. “I’ve been working very closely with planning and zoning, and every solution I’ve come up with has somehow not worked out. So I’m at the point now where I need help.”

Supervisor (appearing as the board’s speaker) replied that councilor Alex had raised the issue and that staff are drafting language to expand what he described as the Jamesville Hamlet Zoning District. “There is a draft of a zone change that needs to go through this board,” the official said, describing the sequence: finalize draft language, send it to the planning board for recommendations, schedule a public hearing, obtain county approval and then implement the change if approved. He said that would likely resolve zoning mismatches in the area but that the current designation is “office professional,” not appropriate for Ms. Henson’s business.

Board members and Henson discussed timing and interim options. Henson said she was concerned about being forced to close because she had already opened and invested in the property. A board member said the town would “accelerate” the process where possible but cautioned it could take “4 to 6 weeks” to move the draft to the planning board and further to county review. The board suggested Henson follow up with staff and the town attorney to explore temporary or administrative relief while the change proceeds.

The board did not vote on a permit or an immediate waiver at the meeting. Members said staff will continue work on the draft zoning amendment and that they would contact Henson with next steps. Henson provided her address and contact information to staff at the meeting.

Henson’s remarks came during the board’s public comment period; subsequent references to a draft Hamlet zone change and the approval steps came during the board’s discussion of her request.

The board did not set a hearing date or adopt a formal interim authorization at the meeting; staff were directed to follow up with the business owner and the town attorney and to continue the zone-change drafting process.