Title
Veterinary Clinic Zoning Text Amendment - Briefing and Public Hearing
Recommended Action
Receive briefing and hold public hearing. If desired, leave written comment period open until 5:00 p.m., July 24, 2015.
Report
Issue:
The City Council has referred to Planning Commission an expedited review of Olympia Municipal Code provisions related to veterinary offices/clinics. Should the Planning Commission recommend approval of the attached ordinance allowing veterinary offices/clinics in additional zoning districts, subject to limiting animals to be kept indoors except for very brief periods of time necessary for the animals’ health?
Staff Contact:
Leonard Bauer, Deputy Director, Community Planning and Development Department, (360.753.8206)
Presenter:
Stacey Ray, Senior Planner
Background and Analysis:
The Olympia Municipal Code defines veterinary offices/clinics as:
“A place where animals receive medical care and the boarding of animals is limited to short-term care incidental to the hospital use.” (OMC 18.02.180(O)
Medical treatment for animals that is combined with boarding is defined separately in the Code as “Animal Hospital.” (OMC 18.02.180(A)
There are currently three of Olympia’s 13 commercial zoning districts in which veterinary offices/clinics are permitted, and an increasing demand for these services in the community. By comparison, medical offices (for humans) are permitted in 13 of the 14 commercial zoning districts.
Veterinary offices/clinics are currently a permitted use in the following zoning districts: General Commercial (GC), and High-Density Corridor 2, 3, and 4 (HDC-2, -3, and -4). The proposed ordinance would also permit this use in these additional zoning districts: Medical Services (MS), Professional Office/Residential MultiFamily (PORM), Downtown Business (DB) and High-Density Corridor 1 (HDC-1). The attached to the current City zoning map illustrates the current locations of these zoning districts.
In the additional zoning districts in which veterinary offices/clinics would be permitted, the following restriction would apply:
“:Animals shall be kept indoors except for very brief periods of time as necessary for the animal’s health.”
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
On or before July 10, 2015, notice of this public hearing was published in the Olympian interested parties and the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations. As this amendment would affect many areas within the City of Olympia, there is potential interest community-wide.
Options:
1. Following close of public hearing, recommend that City Council adopt code amendment as proposed.
2. Following public hearing, keep record open to receive written comments through 5:00 p.m., July 24, 2015.
3. Recommend that City Council adopt a specific alternative amendment.
4. Recommend that the development code not be amended with regard to this issue.
Financial Impact:
None.