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Planning board denies rezoning request to legalize Mason Dixon Kennels
Summary
The board rejected a petition to reclassify roughly three acres of an 18‑acre property to C-2 to allow continued kennel operations after neighbors complained about noise and alleged illegal operation.
The Madison County Planning Board denied a petition to rezone about three acres of an 18‑acre property owned by Sam Livingston (Mason Dixon Kennels) from A-1 agricultural to C-2 commercial, a step the applicant said was necessary to legalize and retrofit his kennel operation.
Jim Cruz, attorney for the owner, said the kennel trains hunting and obedience dogs and has provided local jobs. Cruz said the owner had contracted a company to "retrofit these kennels so that the barking dogs are no longer gonna be an issue," and estimated the soundproofing work at about $125,000. "He's committed to doing some serious work to remedy this situation," Cruz said.
Neighbors and several residents urged denial and described ongoing noise and quality-of-life impacts. Steve Harris, who lives behind the property, said the barking has persisted for two years despite complaints: "They're barking... I can't get up. Children can't go to school with all this barking." Marjorie Davis and other neighbors argued the area is residential and urged the board to preserve neighborhood character.
Attorney Cruz said the kennel sits on the north tip of an irregular 18‑acre parcel and that the applicant in practice seeks rezoning for about three acres where the kennels are located rather than the full parcel. He also pointed to nearby properties with C-2 designations and said similar kennels operate elsewhere in the county, arguing unequal enforcement would raise constitutional concerns.
Board members asked clarifying questions about acreage and the scope of physical changes; Cruz said the proposal was to enclose and soundproof existing structures and not to add new buildings. Several residents insisted the kennel had been operating without proper approvals and that barking and other disturbances had persisted despite complaints to county officials.
After testimony, the board voted to deny the rezoning request. Planning staff will record the denial and notify the applicant. The owner may reapply with a different mitigation plan or pursue administrative remedies related to the existing operation.
The hearing record includes submitted materials describing the kennel operation, a site plan for the proposed retrofit, and testimony from multiple neighbors about noise and community impacts.
