Commission approves home-based pet grooming at Misty Hollow with conditions, one-year review

The Eagle Pass Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve a conditional-use permit for a home-based pet grooming business at 1964 Misty Hollow Drive, imposing several conditions and scheduling a one-year review.

The permit will allow the operation under conditions recommended by planning staff, including compliance with home-occupation and animal-licensing sections of the zoning code, requiring pets be kept on a leash during pickup and drop-off, prohibiting overnight stays, limiting services to small and medium dog breeds, accepting customers by appointment only (maximum two at a time), and keeping animals indoors. A staff member summarized those conditions as part of a continuation of the public hearing.

"Pets shall be kept indoors," a staff member told the commission when listing the recommended conditions. The staffer also said the restrictions on appointments and maximum customers were added after two letters of opposition cited parking congestion and an earlier open microchipping event that drew multiple visitors at once.

Applicant Sandy Tobar addressed the commission, saying, "This pet grooming would be done only Monday through Friday from 11 to 4," and that she is "100% able to comply" with the listed conditions. Tobar also noted a neighboring dog that jumps a fence has caused prior incidents, but emphasized it is not her dog.

After closing the hearing, the commission approved the permit with the conditions and a mandated review one year after operation begins. The commission recorded the motion and vote during the Aug. 14 meeting in Council Chambers.

The next procedural step is for staff to record the conditions in the permit; the one-year follow-up will review whether the operation has created parking, noise or nuisance issues for adjacent properties.