Privately funded proposal for new Northumberland animal shelter referred to planning commission

Volunteers and leaders of the Friends of Northumberland County Animal Shelter presented a privately funded plan Dec. 11 to build a new county animal shelter on county-owned land and donate the completed facility to the county.

Shelter manager David (transcript name) described ongoing building problems at the existing shelter: frequent flooding, inadequate isolation areas, failing plumbing and corrosion in kennel frames. Friends’ representative Peter Williams said the organization envisions a roughly 10,000-square-foot, steel-frame structure that would be cheaper to expand and maintain; the group is proposing use of roughly 15 acres on county-owned Lot 32 in Judicial Square or Lot 30 at the current shelter site.

Williams said the project estimate is $1.75 million to $2.25 million depending on materials and labor; Friends have $650,000 committed to start and plan to raise the balance with grants, donations and thrift-store revenue. He emphasized Friends would fundraise but seek county cooperation on site reservation, permitting, planning commission review and a county liaison to shepherd the project.

Board members raised questions about site topography, environmental issues (drain fields), and operational costs if the county accepts ownership after construction. Planning commission vice chairman John Kost recommended formal referral to the planning commission, which can evaluate land-use options and capital budgeting. The board voted to refer the proposal to the planning commission and requested a combined review that includes location, capital budget and long-term management implications.

Friends said they will not begin major fundraising or spending until the county indicates the concept is workable; the planning commission was asked to begin its review in early February.