Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning staff: animal-capacity limits set by Animal Services, not land-use commission
Summary
Staff told commissioners that limits on animal housing (shelters, kennels) fall under Animal Services (Title 6) while the planning commission reviews only land-use appropriateness; commissioners asked staff to ensure Animal Services input accompanies conditional-use applications.
At a non-action presentation (Item 7) planning staff summarized guidance on how animal-housing capacity will be handled for conditional-use permits. Staff said the county's Planning Department will assess land-use appropriateness but that limits on the number of animals (kennel/boarded-horse caps) and facility inspections fall under the Animal Services Department and Title 6.
Planner Celeste Sandoval told commissioners she had provided six attachments with guidance documents and that the Planning Department will coordinate with Animal Services, Fire and Sheriff and request inspection/comment before bringing conditional-use permits to the commission. "Recommendations for setting animal limits will come under the purview of the animal services department," she said. Animal Services manager Christy Sigmund, who spoke later, said she is "comfortable making that recommendation and holding to it" and described recent, larger-scale animal-removal work that illustrated the difference between permitted, capable operations and properties with chronic overpopulation.
Commissioners asked that Animal Services provide specific capacity recommendations when applicants seek CUPs for kennels or boarding and said having a consistent, documented recommendation would reduce ad-hoc debate during hearings.
