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Planning commission recommends interim permit for Bayview residential kennel with no-breeding requirement
Summary
The Chisago County Planning Commission recommended approval of an Interim Use Permit allowing up to eight dogs at a Bayview Avenue residence, adding a June 1 compliance deadline, six‑month inspections for one year, and an explicit ban on breeding and puppies.
The Chisago County Planning Commission on April 2 recommended approval of an Interim Use Permit (IUP) allowing a Residential Kennel at 50105 Bayview Avenue in Nessel Township, but only after adding several conditions to address neighbors’ complaints and ongoing code-enforcement concerns.
Land Services Coordinator Beth Gervais told the commission the County had denied a prior kennel request Oct. 15, 2025, and that the current application — from the Donna M. Johnson Revocable Trust with applicant Tamara Johnson — proposed keeping up to eight adult dogs as household pets and included a Department-endorsed compliance plan to end prior unpermitted commercial kennel activities. Gervais said staff observed the dwelling and yard and noted the applicants had reduced dog numbers; following a site visit staff understood all eight dogs were spayed or neutered.
Commissioners pressed several concerns during discussion. Commissioner Chris DuBose said his April 1 site visit revealed “lingering odor, uncleanly dwelling conditions, visible animal waste and residue on the floor within the dwelling, and excessive noise,” and he voted against the final recommendation. Commissioner Dave Whitney questioned whether replacement dogs would be required to be spayed or neutered and proposed several added safeguards.
Applicant Tamara Johnson told the commission she had no intent to return to breeding, and Gervais recorded verbal testimony that "there are a total of 16 dogs on the premises as of April 2, 2026," eight of which were included in this IUP request and eight slated to leave the premises in the near term. Johnson said the site would be compliant as long as a friend who was housing eight extra dogs could move off the property; the commission set June 1, 2026 as the compliance deadline.
The commission added three conditions to the staff recommendation: (1) the IUP must be deemed fully compliant by the Department of Environmental Services by June 1, 2026; (2) the Chisago County Code Enforcement Officer (or designee) shall inspect the dwelling/site every six months for one year beginning on or after June 1; and (3) no breeding activities or litters of puppies shall be allowed under the IUP. The commission then adopted Resolution No. PC2026-0401 recommending approval of the IUP with amended conditions. The vote to adopt the resolution was 5-1, with DuBose opposed and Commissioner Eric Leivian absent.
The conditions also require the dogs to be housed inside the dwelling, veterinary care and vaccination records be made available to enforcement authorities upon request, daily collection and legal disposal of waste, a restriction on outdoor barking duration, annual permit certification, and expiration of the permit if the property changes ownership. The resolution and conditions will be forwarded to the County Board for final action.
