Oviedo planning agency recommends PUD amendment to allow overnight stays for pet rescue at Oviedo Marketplace

At its July 7 meeting, the Oviedo Local Planning Agency voted 4-3 to recommend adoption of Ordinance 17-73, a zoning map amendment to add a kennel use to the Oviedo Marketplace planned unit development so Save A Life Pet Rescue can keep rescued dogs overnight in a leased mall suite. The recommendation heads to the City Council for a first reading on July 20 and a public hearing on Aug. 3.

The applicant, Doreen Trevio, who identified herself as interim president of Save A Life Pet Rescue, told the agency the nonprofit has operated for about 20 years and “has saved the lives of approximately 10,000 dogs to date.” She said the rescue has been running daytime adoption operations in a mall suite for roughly 10 months and seeks the amendment so dogs do not have to be shuttled between the mall and foster homes each evening.

City planning staff told the agency the request is an amendment to the development agreement for the Oviedo Marketplace PUD — not a variance — and described the subject property as roughly 44.5 acres (staff referenced both 44.75 and 44.47 acres in the record). Staff recommended adoption of the ordinance and explained the amended development agreement would add a kennel use with a provision that the kennel “shall be sufficiently insulated so that no unreasonable noise or odor can be detected.” Staff said transportation, utilities and other infrastructure appear adequate to support the use.

Members pressed the applicant and staff on operational details and enforcement. A member asked how the phrase “unreasonable” would be defined; staff said there is no precise numeric standard and enforcement would be reactive — handled through existing nuisance and code-enforcement procedures if complaints are filed. The applicant said volunteers would evacuate animals in a storm and that about 20 dogs are typically on site at a given time.

On overnight supervision, the applicant said mall management provides 24-hour security and volunteers are on call to respond to any after-hours incidents; the operation does not intend to have staff sleeping on-site. Staff noted any interior modifications would be addressed through the building-permit process rather than the PUD amendment.

Several members expressed support for the rescue’s mission. One member called the proposal “a noble cause.” Other members said they were concerned about possible odor and noise impacts from overnight stays, and questioned whether locating kennels inside a shopping center could create problems if housing or other uses are developed nearby. A member who said he had owned rescue dogs expressed particular concern that odor or noise problems might surface only after the agency allowed overnight operations.

A committee member moved to recommend adoption of Ordinance 17-73; the motion was seconded by Catherine Hudson and approved in a voice vote the chair recorded as 4 in favor and 3 opposed. The planning agency’s recommendation will be transmitted to City Council, which will consider the ordinance on the dates staff provided.

The agency had no further discussion items and adjourned the meeting at about 6:56 p.m.