Planning commission approves temporary kennel permit with relocation and wall conditions after neighbor complaints

On May 8, 2025, the Kern County Planning Commission approved Modification No. 1 to Conditional Use Permit No. 1 (Map 61) for John and Bonnie Thompson, allowing continued kennel breeding operations on a 20-acre parcel in the Pozzo Flats area, approximately 12 miles south of Glenville. The decision authorizes continued kennel operations for a temporary period and places site-specific conditions on the use following neighbor complaints about barking and other concerns.

Staff presented the application and the project history, noting prior authorization to operate a kennel for a five-year period and that Kern County Animal Services had received complaints about barking (one in August 2023 where no excessive barking was observed by an officer, and a mid-2024 complaint supported by a video). Staff reported it had received audio and video recordings from a neighbor, Jared Cope, and from the applicant; staff was not present for the recordings and cautioned commissioners about taking the recordings at face value. Citing the county municipal code on nuisance barking (Kern County Municipal Code §7.8.38), staff recommended approval of a modified temporary permit limited to two years (to expire 05/21/2027) and recommended additional conditions, including construction of a 6-foot masonry block wall to help dampen sound.

Neighbors and the applicant both spoke at the hearing. Jared Cope, a nearby resident,…