The Richardson City Council voted unanimously Oct. 20 to grant a special permit that allows a dog‑training business, A Great Dog, to occupy a 5,200‑square‑foot office building at 304 South Cottonwood Drive.

City staff said the building sits on a site zoned for office uses and is adjacent to single‑family neighborhoods to the south and southwest and Cottonwood City Park to the east. Senior planner Derek Peter told council the applicant plans to use the whole building for indoor one‑on‑one and group training, will install a pet‑waste station and will use the site’s existing artificial turf in the front yard. Peter said the site provides 32 on‑site parking spaces and that the applicant estimates a maximum of about 15 spaces would be needed at peak times.

Why it matters: the property sits near residential parcels, which prompted council members to press for limits on outdoor operations that could increase noise or storage of animals. Council discussed the risk of future owners adding outdoor runs or storing dogs outdoors and sought clarity about how the special permit ties to the site plan.

Applicant Maureen Potan told council A Great Dog uses reward‑based training and that “90% plus of the training is indoors,” adding the business screens dogs for suitability and requires vaccinations and leashes. Potan said the company previously operated in Richardson and has worked with local veterinarians and the local animal shelter.

Council members asked several operational and parking questions. Council Member Barrios — who said he lives near the site — said neighbors’ main concern was potential outdoor activity and barking and sought language that would prohibit dog storage or long‑term outdoor runs. Development services staff told council the special permit is tied to a concept site plan and that any change to outdoor operations or to the site plan would require an amendment to the special permit or subsequent staff approval depending on the change. Staff also said the city’s code does not include a parking ratio specifically for dog training centers; the applicant has indicated 15 spaces would be sufficient and the site provides 32, plus on‑street parking on Cottonwood Drive.

No members of the public spoke during the hearing. Council Member Justice, who said her own dog graduated from a training program run by the applicant, moved to close the public hearing and to approve zoning file 25‑16 and adopt the accompanying ordinance. The motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Tim Hutchenrider and passed unanimously.

Council placed a condition in the approval limiting the special permit to A Great Dog as the operator at the address and requiring at least one pet‑waste pickup station and the hours of operation specified in the applicant’s submittal (Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Friday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.). Staff noted that a future request to add permanent outdoor training facilities or other site changes would require return to the council as an amendment to the special permit.

The action preserves the city’s formal review point for future operational or site modifications and establishes immediate conditions intended to reduce neighborhood impacts.