Two Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) members say town council needs to take another look at the regulation of dogs and dog-related businesses or activities in the community.
Mayor and MPC member Judy Dahl made that suggestion after the MPC turned down an application late last week from a resident who wants to run a dog boarding and walking business out of her home at 53 Lake Ridge, in the Winter Lake area.
Her proposal called for boarding and walking up to two dogs at a time while their owners are on vacation or away on business. She noted their family already has a dog as well.
The town recommended approving the application, provided the applicant followed a list of conditions.
Seventeen landowners were contacted by the town in regard to the proposal and a couple of letters about the business were received, expressing concern about how much barking would be generated and - in one case -- the feces that could be generated.
In a letter in response, the applicant, Jessica Stockall, said she would take steps to ensure neither of those issues would be a problem.
However, during the meeting April 20, several MPC members echoed the concern about barking, noting Stockall's property borders a walking path and the fence along it is a chain-link fence, thereby making it easy for dogs to see anyone walking there.
The concern was the dogs would bark at anyone walking or running along the path, thereby creating noise and disturbing nearby residents.
MPC commissioner and council member Mary Jane Harper suggested that problem might be alleviated if a fence that obscured the path - like a wooden one perhaps, or some privacy screening -- might solve the problem.
MPC commissioner and fellow councillor Wade Bearchell said the problem is there would be different dogs each time so those dogs would react to passersby.
"One week it could be a pit bull and a German shepherd. Next week it could be a cockatoo," he said, adding seconds later, "maybe that's a bird."
That prompted some laughter. Bearchell clarified he meant a cockapoo.
It could "just fly over the fence," someone said.
A motion to approve the development permit was defeated, with MPC chair Don Dwyer casting the lone vote in favour.
Development officer Carey Keleman asked the reason for MPC's rejection of the application so she could advise the applicant.
Bearchell said, "I would say the concern is proximity of the property to the walking path and the barking of the dogs with all the people going by."
Dwyer said if the concern is "barky dogs," perhaps dog kennel businesses, etc. should only be allowed on the fringes of town.
Keleman noted that under the community standards bylaw, residents can have up to three dogs. But there's potential for them to have up to six dogs if they obtain a hobby licence, which is granted for things like dog breeding.
Dahl said the matter begs some kind of clarity from council to ensure everyone is treated fairly.
"Are we going to pick and choose? Is it going to be the same for all trails?" she asked. "I just feel like it needs to have another discussion at the council level for our community standards bylaw."
She wondered how the decision would affect an applicant wishing to set up a similar business near a park.
"Well, guess what? People are at parks all the time; dogs are going to bark all day because there are kids playing," Dahl said. "So where do you draw the line? I think we need to talk about it."
Dwyer agreed.
"I think there's a lot of ambiguity now in the rules," he said.
"I think there's a lot of ambiguity now in the rules."DON DWYER CHAIR MUNICIPAL PLANNING COMMISSION
