Montgomery Township board hears extensive neighborhood concerns but positions conditional-use application for veterinary surgical center to move forward with条件s

Nicole Salas, the applicant and proposed operator, told the board she plans a 10,000-square-foot, single-story veterinary surgical center at 1008 Upper State Road. She said the facility would be surgery- and diagnostic-imaging–focused, not a 24-hour emergency hospital, and would operate primarily Monday–Friday with some scheduled overnight recoveries for post-operative patients.

During the conditional-use hearing, attorney Kristen Pianzio explained the application meets the zoning criteria for an animal hospital in the BP (office/professional) district and that the plan team has coordinated with the fire marshal and township staff. Salas described staffing estimates (roughly 12 daytime staff and 3–4 overnight technical staff when pets remain for recovery), the use of slip leads and fenced outdoor relief areas, and procedures to collect and store biohazardous waste indoors for licensed pickup.

Neighbors raised issues that the board and applicant addressed point by point. Lorraine Schell and Kim Logan (both adjacent property owners) and Jose Lage (an immediate abutter) were granted party status and questioned whether the project would follow fire-protection guidance, where dumpsters would be located, lighting levels and glare, generator noise, the frequency and location of trash pickup, stormwater runoff, and the plan for artificial turf and odor control in the outdoor relief area. Tom Knab, the project engineer, testified the plan meets parking and buffer requirements, that the trash enclosure would be fenced and screened at the lower-left corner of the parking lot, and that PennDOT would review driveway access and any required turning-lane improvements during land development.

Salas and the project team agreed the outside fenced area would be reasonably maintained and cleaned; biohazardous materials would be stored indoors and collected by a licensed biohazard vendor; and the applicant committed to working with the township and engineer on dumpster location, screening, and minimizing noise and odor. Several neighbors asked that trash pickup be scheduled after 8 a.m.; the applicant said it would use reasonable efforts to arrange later pickups. Staff and the county planning commission had reviewed the application and provided comments included in the board packet.

After hearing testimony and public comment, the board adjourned into an executive session for quasi-judicial deliberation. Chair indicated the board would return to make a motion to permit the proposed veterinary surgical use with conditions that include working with the township during land development on dumpster location and screening, maintenance requirements for the fenced outdoor area to limit odors and waste, timing/delivery efforts to reduce early morning truck noise, adherence to submitted exhibits and testimony, and compliance with applicable federal, state and township laws. A final action was not recorded in open session before the meeting adjourned and will be reflected in the board’s next public minutes.