Title
Approval of Ordinance Related to Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Recommended Action
Planning Commission Recommendation:
Approve the ordinance amending Title 18 of the Olympia Municipal Code to allow 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.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the ordinance on second reading as recommended by the Planning Commission.
Report
Issue:
Should the Olympia Municipal Code be amended to allow 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 & Development, 360.753.8206
Presenter(s):
None. Consent Item.
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 longer-term boarding of the animals is defined separately in the Code as “Animal Hospital.” (OMC 18.02.180(A))
Because of an increasing demand for veterinary services in the community, the city council referred to the Planning Commission consideration of increasing the zoning districts in which veterinary offices/clinics are permitted.
There are currently three of Olympia’s 13 commercial zoning districts in which veterinary offices/clinics are permitted. 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 Multi-Family (PORM), Downtown Business (DB) and High-Density Corridor 1 (HDC-1). The attached 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 in order to minimize impacts on nearby properties:
“Animals shall be kept indoors except for very brief periods of time as necessary for the animal’s health.”
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Notice of the Planning Commission’s public hearing was published in The Olympian and sent to 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. Approve the ordinance amending Title 18 of the Olympia Municipal Code to allow veterinary offices/clinics in additional zoning districts on second reading.
2. Consider a specific amendment to the ordinance.
3. Choose not to amend the Olympia Municipal Code regarding zoning for veterinary clinics.
Financial Impact:
None.