Pawtucket council continues kennel renewal after neighbor complaints about odor, noise and zoning

The Pawtucket City Council on July 9 continued a renewal vote for Harmony Dog Training LLC, the kennel operating at 65 Patterson Avenue, after neighbors described ongoing odor and noise problems and councilors asked zoning staff to explain how the facility received a certificate of zoning compliance.

Neighbors said the kennel sits immediately adjacent to homes and that the smell persists despite repeated complaints. Resident Kira Witsney told the council the odor made it impossible to open basement and kitchen windows and called the conditions “unbearable” during recent heat. “I should not have to live like this,” Witsney said during a public-comment appearance at the meeting.

The kennel’s owner, Louis Rosado, told the council he has followed state and city requirements, invited officials to inspect the facility and said he has added turf and daily cleaning to reduce odors. “I spray that thing down daily now. I add a turf sand that costs us a $100. I spray it so that it traps the dog's urine,” Rosado said, and invited councilors and neighbors to inspect the site. He said state inspections and prior visiting animal-control officers have not found conditions warranting enforcement.

Councilors pressed staff and the applicant on the zoning and permitting history. Councilor Gregor explained the city ordinance limits kennels to industrial-open zones and said that limitation exists to separate disruptive activities from residences. Gregor said he wants the zoning director to explain how a kennel came to operate where it borders residential lots, especially if the applicant has sought future increases in animal counts from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM). “I'm looking at the basic laws here. There was no variance, no special permit, no additional scrutiny,” Gregor said.

The council voted to continue the municipal renewal to the next meeting on July 23 at noon and requested that the zoning director attend and explain the certificate-of-zoning-compliance process related to 65 Patterson Avenue. Councilors said the continuation was intended to allow the zoning office to provide documentation and for further discussion rather than to immediately approve or deny the renewal; the motion passed on an affirmative voice vote.

City staff previously filed communications from animal-control officers and the Pawtucket Police Department’s animal-shelter liaison about the kennel; the council asked that those communications be provided to the applicant and neighbors in advance of the July 23 session. Rosado said his DEM license had been renewed recently and that he would continue to cooperate with inspections and neighbors.

The council also signaled it may pursue additional follow-up, including asking zoning to clarify whether a buffer or special conditions should apply where industrial-open zoning directly abuts residences. The municipal license decision remains pending; the kennel continues to operate under its existing state license until the council acts on the municipal renewal.

The council’s continuation leaves open three possible near-term outcomes: approval, denial, or further continuance after zoning’s response. The matter is scheduled for the council’s noon meeting July 23, when the zoning director was asked to appear.