Commission recommends Lotus Animal Hospital at Windward Square; limits boarding and mobile equipment visibility
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Summary
The Planning Commission recommended approval of a master plan amendment and conditional use to allow Lotus Animal Hospital, a small-animal veterinary clinic, at 5215 Windward Parkway, with conditions limiting boarding, restricting visibility of mobile MRI/x-ray units, and setting hours of operation.
The Alpharetta Planning Commission voted Feb. 6 to recommend approval of a master plan amendment and conditional use to allow Lotus Animal Hospital, a small-animal veterinary practice, to occupy a 2,761-square-foot suite at 5215 Windward Parkway (Windward Square Shopping Center).
Staff described the proposal as a “boutique veterinary clinic” limited to small animals, with no regular boarding and only short-term post-operative observation allowed. The commission attached eight conditions including hours, a pet-relief area, noise attenuation measures and a restriction that mobile diagnostic units not be visible from the public right of way.
Michael (planning staff) told commissioners the site is zoned Office/Institutional and has a commercial future land-use designation that supports adding “animal hospital, small animal” to the Oxford Green Master Plan tract A. He said the shopping center already houses complementary uses and that the nearest animal hospital is about 2,000 feet to the north. “Conditional use approval shall be limited to Lotus Animal Hospital. No additional animal hospital, small animal businesses or subleasing shall be permitted within the approved space,” Michael said while summarizing staff’s recommended conditions.
Applicant Alyssa Stevens appeared for Lotus and described the practice as a full-service clinic intended to provide surgery and in-house diagnostics rather than boarding. “To me, the differentiating factor is the level of services that are provided,” Stevens said, contrasting a clinic with a hospital; she said the proposed operation will include surgery and x-ray capability but will not keep pets overnight as a boarding service except when under immediate observation after treatment.
Staff’s eight conditions include limiting the use to Lotus Animal Hospital at the listed address and suite, capping the suite size at 2,761 square feet, setting hours of operation at 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., confining any overnight stays to short-term observation incidental to hospital use, requiring a pet waste station in the pet-relief area, requiring noise attenuation measures inside the suite, and requiring that mobile diagnostic resources such as a mobile MRI or x-ray be screened so they are not visible from Windward Parkway.
A motion to approve the master plan amendment and conditional use (MP-25-02 / CU-25-02) carried unanimously; the Planning Commission will forward the recommendation to City Council for final action on Feb. 24.
