Planning commission approves rezoning for dog-training kennel on Las Casas Pike

Rutherford County Planning Commission members voted unanimously April 17 to rezone two parcels on Las Casas Pike so the property owner can pursue a dog-training and boarding business.

The rezoning affects 8912 Las Casas Pike and part of 8954 Las Casas Pike — about 13 acres in all — changing the zoning from Residential Low Density to Agricultural Residential (AR). Planning staff and the applicant said the change is intended to allow a kennel use that would later require a special-exception permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Doug DeMasi, planning staff, told commissioners the applicant intends to combine the back portion of 8954 with 8912 and use the combined tract for a dog obedience “board and train” operation. DeMasi said the county’s zoning ordinance classifies the proposed activity as a kennel (animal care and veterinarian services), which is not allowed in the current RL district but is allowed in AR by special exception. “This is a pretty straightforward application,” DeMasi said, adding that if the rezoning is approved the owner must apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals, which can impose conditions on parking, landscaping and screening.

Applicant Brian Sullivan, owner of the two parcels, spoke at the meeting and described the intended operation and site plan in brief. “The parking is planned to be about 10 cars,” Sullivan said. He described the primary service as boarding and obedience training and said the owners do not plan to hold field trials or large public events on the property.

No members of the public spoke during the public-comment period on this agenda item. Commissioner Jim Everwater made the motion to approve the rezoning; Commissioner Michael Shirley seconded. A roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval by the commissioners present.

Next steps: the rezoning approval advances to the Board of Commissioners. If the County Commission approves the rezoning, the Sullivans must submit a special-exception application to the Board of Zoning Appeals to request use of the AR zoning to operate a kennel; only the BZA can authorize the kennel use and attach any conditions.

Additional factual details from the record: the staff report named tax map 62, parcels 104 (entire tract) and 102 (approx. 2.5 acres). Planning staff described the change as a downzoning from RL to AR and said the BZA may require additional parking, landscaping or screening as conditions of any special exception.