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County approves interim use permit amendment allowing kennel/boarding business to house up to 80 animals with operating conditions
Summary
Clay County approved an interim use permit amendment for Joel Hildebrand’s kennel/boarding business at 22263 US Highway 10, expanding the maximum animals on site from 25 to 80 with conditions including an operations plan, parking plan, hours of operation, septic approval, parcel combination or removal of encroachment, and a requirement to meet county standards.
The Clay County Planning Commission approved an interim use permit amendment that increases the allowable number of animals at Joel Hildebrand’s boarding, grooming and daycare facility at 22263 US Highway 10 (Holly) from 25 to 80.
Planner Jacobson explained the site is highway commercial and within an airport safety zone; an interim use permit issued in 2015 limited the site to 25 animals. The applicant asked to expand to 80 animals to accommodate business growth and to serve as a stray‑holding facility for additional Clay County municipalities. Staff reported no public comments were received by the planning office and that Minnesota DOT provided advisory comment on driveway access location; Environmental Health must review septic changes tied to increased animal counts.
Owner Joel Hildebrand told commissioners the business has operated for about 11 years, currently uses weekly contracted waste pickup, and would expand building area rather than densify existing space. Co‑owner Charlotte Tui said the addition would include an isolation room and private indoor‑outdoor kennel suites to improve animal management and disease control; she said municipalities would contract separately for veterinary services when the county’s stray holds are used.
Commissioners questioned handling of animal waste, septic approval, and a small encroachment onto an adjacent parcel (a portable play yard). The applicant said the encroachment is on an adjacent parcel the applicant also owns and that they could either move the temporary fencing or combine the parcels to resolve the issue; the commission added a condition requiring parcel combination or removal of the encroachment within one year.
The commission approved the amendment and attached conditions including: a maximum of 80 animals on site at any given time; preparation and county review of a parking plan for at least 10 spaces; preparation and approval of an operations plan addressing waste and noise management; hours of operation limited to 6:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. except emergencies; septic approval tied to the change in use; permit term to expire upon sale of the property; and requirement to combine parcel ID 13.05.0010 with parcel ID 13.005.0020 or remove the encroachment within a year. Commissioners emphasized that any building expansion will still require building permits and compliance with Environmental Health requirements.
The motion to approve the interim use permit amendment carried on a voice vote.
