Planning board grants special-use permit for dog‑boarding facility at 781 River Road

The Rockingham County Planning Board approved a special‑use permit May 12 that allows a dog‑boarding facility (animal facility/kennel) at 781 River Road, a parcel in the county’s western corridor near Mayodan.

The board found the proposal met the ordinance’s four special‑use criteria and approved the permit after an evidentiary quasi‑judicial hearing. Adam Barr, planning staff, told the board the property is primarily zoned Residential‑Agriculture and that the UDO requires a special‑use permit for kennels that will house more than eight domesticated animals. Barr said staff’s review of the submitted site plan indicated the proposal met specific setback, buffering and parking requirements.

Why it matters: the planning board’s approval grants the applicant the land‑use permission required under the county ordinance. The applicant must still obtain state licensure and any required permits before commencing…