By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
On Monday night, the Great Bend City Council agreed to amend zoning
regulations and redefine what a kennel is to allow boarding kennels for animals
within city limits if a conditional use permit is granted.
In August, Larry and Jennifer Kurtz were in jeopardy of not being able to
operate their dog boarding business, Miss Jenny’s Pet Palace, at 5908 Broadway
Avenue because current regulations do not allow kennels in residential
districts.
RELATED STORY: Regulation amendment needed for Great Bend dog boarding business
Great Bend Building Official Logan Burns said the Great Bend Planning
Commission recommended changing the terminology of what a kennel is to allow a
boarding facility to be operated within a residential district by resident
members.
"We have amended our zoning regulations to define a boarding kennel and redefine kennel, as par of that," said Burns. "That would allow a conditional use in an R-1 district for a boarding kennel."
The boarding facility will have no more than 10 animals on the site, the
exterior will show no evidence of a boarding kennel being operated and animals
are prohibited from being outdoors between 9 p.m. - 7 a.m.
City Attorney
Allen Glendenning said the inside of the kennel has to be soundproof so noise
and barking cannot be heard.
"We carved out from just ordinary kennels a boarding kennel and defined it," said Glendenning. "It has to not emit any kind of odors or problems for the neighbors and then they have to get a conditional use permit. So you won't see something like the humane society's kennels with a concrete pad and chain-link fences. That wouldn't be allowed."
Miss Jenny’s Pet Palace has been in operation for the past two years, but a
zoning official received a complaint and notified the city that kennels are not
allowed in residential districts. Multiple neighbors and clients supported the
Pet Palace owners at the August meeting and subsequent Planning Commission
meetings.
The city council approved the conditional use permit for the dog boarding
kennel.