Virginia Beach council defers home‑based wildlife rehab permit after neighbor opposition

The City Council of Virginia Beach on May 20, 2025, voted unanimously to defer a conditional use permit application from Dawn Federovich to operate a Category 1 wildlife rehabilitation facility at 6365 Colby until the June voting meeting.

Federovich, the applicant, told council she is a wildlife rehabilitator and said she sought permission to provide short‑term care and conditioning for native birds of prey and other native species. "I'm a wildlife rehabber. I've been doing it for 2 and a half years," she told the council. She said the operation would be limited in scope: the facility is an attached garage, training and flight conditioning occur at another facility, and she said she would have a maximum of two birds at any one time. Federovich also said federal, state and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations govern her work.

Opposition was presented by Dr. Mamie Johnson, who identified herself as president of the Framingham Village Homes Association (College Park Division). Johnson said the neighborhood has about 213 homes and that 30–32 residents expressed concern about having birds of prey near children, pets and other backyard birds. She cited the HOA's covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs), including residential use limitations and provisions against "obnoxious or offensive trade" and the keeping of animals for non‑household purposes.

Several councilmembers said the application raised neighborhood concerns best addressed through direct meetings between the applicant and residents. A councilmember moved to defer the application to the next voting meeting to give the applicant and neighbors time to meet; the motion was seconded and the council voted 11–0 to defer. Council staff said the applicant would meet with the HOA and with PJ, the council's legislative aide, to schedule those discussions. Council members clarified that the city does not enforce private HOA covenants but encouraged a negotiated resolution.

Council questions during the hearing clarified operational details in the applicant's submission: the proposed program would be Category 1 (care for uninjured or healthy birds ahead of release), the physical rehab area is in the attached garage with a secondary screen door, and any flight training would occur offsite. The applicant said in response to a council question that the maximum number of birds kept at any one time would be two.

The council's deferral preserves the planning review process while encouraging local mediation between neighbors and the applicant. The application will return to the council at the June voting meeting unless the applicant withdraws it or the applicant and neighbors reach a private agreement beforehand.