Brown Deer approves Garden of Dogs kennel permit at 8254 North Cactonia and amends B-3 zoning to allow kennels
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Summary
Brown Deer’s Village Board on March 3 approved a conditional use permit for Garden of Dogs LLC at 8254 North Cactonia Avenue and adopted Ordinance 25-03 to add dog kennels as a conditional use in the B-3 zoning district.
The Village of Brown Deer Village Board on March 3 unanimously approved a conditional use permit for Garden of Dogs LLC to operate dog day care, grooming and indoor kenneling at 8254 North Cactonia Avenue and adopted Ordinance No. 25-03 to add dog kennels as a conditional use in the B-3 zoning district.
Staff told the board that the Planning Commission held a public hearing the prior week and recommended the conditional use permit unanimously after discussion with neighbors and adjacent businesses. The draft permit includes a limit of 15 dogs overnight in the kennel and a site-wide cap of 25 dogs at any one time; the permit also carries the village’s standard one-year review provision for conditional uses.
Village staff and the applicant said they researched state requirements and concluded there is no state licensing requirement for dog day-care or kennel operations in this context (state licensing applies to some breeders). Village Attorney Nathan Bayer reviewed the code language and staff said they will return separately with clarifying code language to address licensing and handling where appropriate.
Applicant Eric Ben Dixon told the board that this would be his first time operating a kennel but that he has eight years’ experience as a professional dog walker and has cared for dozens of dogs and maintains records of client veterinarians. He said the operation plans to kennel dogs indoors with interior partitions by size, follow AKC guidance for spacing, keep kennels to room perimeters to maintain clear egress, and maintain vaccine records including rabies, distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, and bordetella. He said he intends to partner with local veterinarians for care as needed and that he currently carries liability insurance and is working with his insurer to add commercial-property coverage.
Trustee Thompson moved to approve the conditional use permit; Trustee Woods seconded. The motion carried unanimously on a roll-call vote. Trustee Woods moved and Trustee Thompson seconded adoption of Ordinance No. 25-03 to add dog kennels as a conditional use in the B-3 district; the ordinance passed unanimously.
Staff said the Planning Commission and neighbors in attendance expressed general comfort with the applicant’s answers about noise, waste management, and staffing and that the one-year review would allow the village to revisit operations if complaints arise.
