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Richmond planners agree to remove neighbor-consent requirement and set kennel license lot-size minimums
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Commission directed staff to amend kennel rules, agreeing to remove a neighbor-consent clause, delete a 'de facto kennel' grandfathering clause, and adopt minimum lot sizes of 14,500 sq ft for three dogs and 20,000 sq ft for four-to-six dogs; staff will bring amended language back next month.
The Richmond City Planning & Zoning Commission on Feb. 3 agreed on several proposed changes to the city's kennel ordinance and asked staff to prepare amendments for commission review.
City Recorder Justin Lewis said the update is intended to revise the municipal kennel code (last amended Dec. 14, 2021) and is not a response to barking complaints. He noted that "a kennel license is required for 3 or more dogs" under the current code and recommended removing an outdated application requirement that had required signed neighbor agreements for proposed kennels.
Commissioners agreed to remove the sentence in Part 13-261 Section A that required an agreement signed by immediately adjacent and opposite neighbors for kennel applications, calling the requirement antiquated and impractical in some circumstances. They also agreed to remove Part 12-265 A, which defined a "de facto kennel" (three or more legally licensed dogs as of Jan. 31, 2003), and set minimum lot sizes for kennel licensing: 14,500 square feet for a kennel of three dogs and 20,000 square feet for a kennel of four to six dogs.
Commission members discussed enforcement challenges: Lewis described a resident who keeps three dogs primarily inside and refuses to obtain a kennel license, and commissioners emphasized education as part of the licensing process. The commission directed staff to amend the application and ordinance language and return the item at the next meeting for further discussion.
No formal ordinance was adopted at the Feb. 3 meeting; the actions were recorded as commission agreements and direction to staff to draft and return amended language.
