Group seeks to build 17,600 sq ft wildlife rehabilitation and education center; staff recommends conditional-use review
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Summary
Applicants introduced plans for a 17,600-square-foot wildlife rehabilitation and education center with flight cages and seasonal intake that does not fit neatly in existing agricultural zoning. Staff recommended filing a conditional-use permit before a full site plan and suggested conditions including fence height, buffers and parking modifications.
A team representing a proposed wildlife rehabilitation and education center presented preliminary layouts for a roughly 17,600-square-foot facility and asked how the site should be processed under existing Harrisville zoning.
Applicants said the project will focus on bird rehabilitation and education, with indoor treatment spaces and large outdoor flight cages (about 1,500 sq ft each). They described seasonal intake surges in spring and summer and an educational program for school visits. The team said they intend a low-impact, naturalized site with limited paved parking and possible use of irrigation shares for demonstration gardens.
City planners said the proposal does not fit neatly into current zoning language for accessory uses and animal-related facilities and recommended a conditional-use permit as the appropriate first step. Staff indicated conditions could be used to allow taller fences (beyond standard frontage limits), specify buffers (staff suggested a 20-foot buffer for flight enclosures from property lines), set limits on visitor traffic and require outreach to neighboring properties before formal notice.
Public-safety and building staff noted the main building will likely be B occupancy and will require fire sprinklers; large enclosures may need to be treated as separate structures with setback and life-safety considerations. Applicants were advised to coordinate with UDOT for highway access, re-evaluate water-share needs for irrigation and consider on-site retention with an engineered overflow to the city system.
Next steps: Staff recommended that the applicants file a conditional-use application to establish operating parameters before investing heavily in final site plans. Planners offered to send application requirements and to help coordinate utility and access discussions.
