Scotland P&Z approves dog kennel at 5 Kemp Road with capacity limits, Sunday pickups by appointment

The Scotland Planning & Zoning Commission approved Special Permit PZ-2025-003 on Oct. 27, 2025, allowing Alex Bienvenido to operate a rural business dog kennel at 5 Kemp Road in the Residential Agricultural District under several operational conditions.

The permit limits daytime kennel activity to 12 dogs and overnight boarding to no more than eight dogs; the total excludes up to four dogs owned by the resident owners. The permit language also retains customer and delivery hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday but explicitly allows exceptions "except in an emergency situation and by appointment on Sunday’s," a modification the commission adopted after debate. Commissioner J. Troeger argued that the operator should be able to allow Sunday pickups if a dog owner returns on a Sunday: "If a dog were boarded while its owner was away, they should be able to get their dog on a Sunday if they wanted to," he said. Commissioner R. Brautigam raised concerns about delivery hours and emergency drop-offs.

J. Blake, Zoning and Wetlands Enforcement Officer, clarified capacity and regulatory limits, saying the permit will allow 12 dogs plus up to four owner dogs and noting that the state has approved up to 16 dogs for a facility this size, but the town will follow its own recommendations. The permit includes setback and screening requirements for outdoor runs, noise and odor mitigation measures (including restricted outdoor exercise between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.), waste removal and disposal plan requirements, and a mandate for state licensing from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture before operation can commence.

The approval requires final sign-off by the Building Official and the Zoning Enforcement Officer before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued and subjects the facility to inspection by NECCOG Animal Services and the State of Connecticut Department of Agriculture. The permit is subject to mandatory annual renewal by the commission one year after the Department of Agriculture license is initially issued; documented complaints or violations may be grounds to deny renewal.

During the meeting J. Blake said he had received one letter of support but that an identified resident opposed to the kennel had not contacted the town; the hearing was closed so additional letters could not be entered. The remote broadcast cut out at 7:40 p.m. The motion to approve the permit carried with one abstention; the Notice of Decision records the vote as Ayes: 6, Nays: 0, Abstentions: 1.