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 operations.

Applicant presentation and licensing requirements

Kristen Edwards, the applicant who lives at 781 River Road, described the proposal as a dog‑boarding facility intended to serve the western part of Rockingham County. She said boarding options in the area are limited and that the business would retain local revenue rather than sending it to neighboring counties. Edwards provided the board with North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services licensing material and described operational practices she intends to use.

Edwards told the board the state licensure standards define operational requirements she will follow, including outdoor exercise and cleaning schedules: “A requirement of 3 hours a day per dog to outside play. You have to have 2 hours of cleaning time, 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon,” she said. She also described separating small and large dogs with double fencing and an insulated building planned for nighttime confinement.

Board questions and evidence

Planning staff confirmed the property is roughly 20 acres with a primary residence and an accessory building; staff said site‑plan details are included in the record and the plan complies with the UDO standards for a kennel. Board members questioned whether the facility would house animals other than dogs; Edwards and staff indicated the practical focus is on dogs and that state rules and facility plans would govern permitted animals.

Recusal and hearing format

The board chair recused himself because of a past business relationship with a party to the case; Vice Chairman Julie Talbert chaired the evidentiary hearing. Staff administered the oath to speakers and read the quasi‑judicial statement explaining that the board must base its decision on competent, relevant and substantial evidence in the record.

Outcome and conditions

A board member moved to approve the special‑use permit “based on evidentiary determinations, including additional conditions agreed upon by the planning board and the applicant during the evidentiary hearing.” The motion passed with no opposition. Planning staff confirmed the decision does not go to the Board of Commissioners and is final at the planning‑board level under the county procedure for this type of permit. Edwards received instructions on state licensure and was advised that the TRC and county permitting process will follow site‑plan approval.

Next steps

Edwards must secure state licensure from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and satisfy any required county permits and TRC conditions before operation can begin. Staff and the applicant agreed on additional operational details recorded in the hearing record, and the planning board will rely on those elements as conditions of approval.