A proposed dog kennel on a Highway 6 property near Riverstown has some residents concerned about noise.
At a May 23 public meeting, Wellington County planner Linda Redmond told Wellington North council the owners want to rezone the 25-acre property to allow a kennel building designed to house 10 dogs.
“In their application they identified two potential spots for the kennel building,” said Redmond.
She explained of the two proposed sites, the first option was preferable.
“‘A’ kennel is on the other side of the property and is adjacent to an open property that is actually owned by the township and there’s no plan for any building to go on those lands,” Redmond said.
The adjacent property is zoned for sanitary waste landfill and zoning does not permit any dwellings to be constructed.
While kennels are a permitted use on prime agricultural land, they are considered restricted use under the zoning bylaws of Wellington North and therefore need licensing from the township.
The zoning amendment is required in order to comply with the licensing requirements, states the report. The licensing also requires a minimum of 25 acres.
Norma Peterson, who lives on Maas Park Drive, said she is strongly opposed to the amendment, noting her daughter shares a driveway with the subject property.
Peterson said she is concerned about the potential noise of the “irritating jangle of several unhappy canines barking and whining.”
“Despite the subject property barely meeting the zoning requirements of 25 acres, their land isn’t 25 acres in the middle of nowhere – other residences are located nearby, including our own home.”
Peterson said she also worries about safety concerns due to a potential increase in traffic near the curve of Highway 6.
Chris Gears, another Maas Park resident, said noise concerns him as well.
While there is a 10-dog maximum, chief building official Darren Jones said puppies under 12 weeks are not included in that number.
Councillor Sherry Burke asked council to defer the rezoning to review the current kennel bylaws in place, “to make sure that we are approving these in the appropriate areas and with some of the appropriate regulations.”
Council voted to defer consideration of the bylaw.
