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Kenilworth council introduces zoning changes to allow houses of worship in commercial zones and add pet care uses
Summary
The Kenilworth Borough Council voted to introduce Ordinance 2025-02 to amend the land-use code to permit houses of worship in the commercial district and add pet daycare uses; council and staff debated whether to explicitly include kennels and other pet services.
The Kenilworth Borough Council on a unanimous roll call vote introduced Ordinance 2025-02 to amend chapter 120, land use, article 23, to add houses of worship as a permitted use in the borough’s commercial zone and to add pet daycare facilities to the list of permitted uses.
The ordinance was introduced at the council meeting after a motion by Councilman Scurries and a second by Councilwoman Giordano Pacerno. The measure will be scheduled for public hearing and adoption at the council’s April meeting at 6 p.m.
Council members and staff discussed the scope of the new pet-related language. A staff member from planning noted, “it says veterinary offices and pet day care facilities,” and council members debated whether to broaden the wording to explicitly include kennels, grooming and ancillary pet services. Some council members favored a broader, catch-all phrase such as “pet service facilities” to avoid unintentionally excluding future businesses; others recommended naming specific uses (for example, pet daycare facilities and kennels) so the ordinance’s intent is clear.
The ordinance text as introduced includes pet daycare facilities and veterinary offices; the council directed staff to consider drafting language that captures ancillary services such as grooming and overnight boarding if the council wants those explicitly permitted. The ordinance will also be reviewed by the borough’s planning board as part of the standard zoning amendment process.
No substantive changes to the ordinance text were adopted at introduction; the council only approved placing the ordinance on the April agenda for public hearing and possible adoption.
The zoning amendment was discussed in the same meeting segment as other commercial-zone policy items; council members noted potential interactions with existing home-occupation rules and the need to avoid unintended consequences for pet stores or adoption agencies.
The council’s procedural votes on introduction were recorded by roll call: Councilman Boyle — yes; Councilman Finistrella — yes; Councilwoman Giordano Pacerno — yes; Councilman Morrow — yes; Councilman Piper — yes; Councilman Scurries — yes. Ordinance 2025-02 will return for public hearing and final action in April.
