The Nampa Planning and Zoning Commission on July 29 heard public testimony on a conditional use permit application to allow a noncommercial kennel for four dogs at 3004 Bannock Avenue; the transcript provided does not record a final vote.

The conditional use permit (CUP) request, presented by applicant David DeSabatino on behalf of his wife Susan Manetti, would allow the household to keep four dogs under a noncommercial kennel designation in an RS6 zone. Planning and Zoning Director Rodney Ashby told the commission that staff received three late emails supporting the applicants, found no code or animal-control complaints at the address, and recommended approval with conditions that would limit the CUP to the named animals and the applicant’s household.

"We didn't know that 4 dogs was a problem," applicant David DeSabatino said, describing that two of the dogs came into the household after the owners believed a different outcome for the animals would be likely without their intervention. DeSabatino said the family keeps the dogs under close supervision and that they have not been aggressive: "They have not bitten anybody. They have not harassed anybody. Nobody knew that we had 4 dogs."

Ashby explained the process and the staff analysis. "A kennel license is a little bit different than a conditional use permit. You have to first get the conditional use permit for the land use, and then the kennel license is issued after that," he said, adding that the property is surrounded by RS6 zoning and that utilities are in place. Ashby told commissioners that while animals can cause noise or maintenance issues in some cases, staff had not found evidence of those problems at this address and noted that code compliance has recorded no violations.

Neighbors who spoke at the hearing urged caution and emphasized precedent and enforcement concerns. Steven Mortensen, who said he lives at 2708 Klamath Lane in the Lonesome Dove Subdivision, told the commission that the subdivision’s covenants once restricted households to two dogs and that homeowners later relied on city ordinance after the association removed that clause. Mortensen asked the commission to consider how allowing one household an expanded number of animals could affect neighboring properties and future requests. "What happens if next door that happens? What happens if it's 2 doors down, 3 doors down?" he said.

Laura Creech, who said she lives at 3017 Bannock, opposed the permit and recounted a personal incident in which a long-time dog disappeared from her yard and took more than 12 hours before it was returned. "It makes me question if we give them the kennel license, that that number won't grow to a larger number," she said.

The record also includes an email from Dale Kennoy, identified as Lonesome Dove Subdivision HOA president, that was read at the meeting after staff disclosed some public comments had been received after the staff report packet was prepared. Ashby said staff would add late comments to the record and suggested the commission allow those remarks to be considered as part of public testimony.

Staff presented a proposed condition that the conditional use permit apply only to the applicant and the specific four animals named in the applicant's narrative; Ashby said the formal kennel license would be issued only after the commission approved the CUP and after a separate kennel-license application process. "This would not apply to just having 4 dogs forever," Ashby said, describing the proposed limitation.

The transcript portion provided ends after public commenters and the reading of a late email; the commission had not recorded a final vote on the CUP in the supplied excerpt.