Planning board approves small veterinary clinic; neighbors raise noise and 'boarding' definition concerns

The Flagler County planning board voted to approve Application 31‑85, a special exception to use an existing building for a veterinary office without boarding, subject to the conditions presented by staff that limit the use and require the owner or tenant to obtain permits before receiving a business tax receipt.

Staff described the proposal as a small clinic (two exam rooms and a grooming area) that would reuse an existing 896‑square‑foot building. Patricia Hoskins, representing the property owner (RAG Corporation LLC), said the facility would include four cages inside the building and emphasized the small scale, telling the board the site is only 896 square feet and that overnight stays would be minimal and inside the structure.

Several neighbors, including Eric Reagan who owns the adjacent property, voiced concern that surgical or medical overnight stays could result in barking that disturbs nearby residences. Staff and board members discussed whether the land‑development code distinguishes long‑term boarding from brief overnight medical stays; staff said they could not recall a specific code definition and noted there is no noise ordinance in unincorporated Flagler County to address the barking concern directly.

Dennis Clark, chair of the Scenic A1A committee, said the committee supports responsible growth but asked whether a 12‑foot driveway and the parking configuration would support two‑way traffic; staff said driveway and traffic capacity questions are reviewed by DOT and the technical review committee (TRC) during site‑plan review.

A board member moved to approve the application with the conditions outlined in the packet and the motion carried after a second. The approval limits the use to a veterinary office without boarding; staff and the board noted that if boarding practices or outside kennels were proposed in the future, those changes would require separate review.