13 - Amend Zoning Ordinance to create new definitions for Veterinary Clinics for small and large animals

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Item No. 13 TO: Mayor & City Council FROM: John Godwin, City Manager SUBJECT: ZONING FOR VE'TERINARY CLINICS DATE: April 18, 20 18 BACKGROUND: We recently received a request from a local veterinarian to rezone a property on I-arnar from General Retail to Commercial to allow him to construct a new clinic at the site. The commission, at its April 2 meeting, clearly supported the facility, but the staff strongly recommended against the zoning change. We believe that Corrimercial zoning with its many outright allowed uses is simply inappropriate for this area. Unfortunately, as the applicant pointed out, he had no other choice but to ask for that specific zoning. In such a situation, the solution is often to amend the city's comprehensive zoning ordinance and that is what staff and commissioners generally agreed to do, setting a special meeting on April 17 to consider changes. STATUS OF ISSUE: We believe it makes sense to distinguish between small animal clinics and large animal clinics, but also recognize that both are valuable assets to a community. We also believe that for some locations the best available zoning too] to protect existing development while encouraging new growth is the SUP process. '['his process allows us to add specific performance standards, which the applicant offered, but which could not be enforced in straight zoning. We recommended a new use deffilition as follows: "Any facility maintained by or for the use of a licensed veterinarian in the diagnosis, treatment, and/or the prevention of animal diseases or medical maladies wherein the animals are limited to dogs, cats, or other comparable household pets.- This use would be allowed in: • General Retail (GR) with Specific Use Permit • Commercial (C). --permitted outright • Light Industrial (Ll) ---permitted outright • Heavy Industrial (1-11)—permitted outright • Agricultural (A)—permitted outright • Office (0) with Specific Use Permit