Title
Dog Sitting in Single-Family Neighborhoods (B)
Petition PB-11-142TCH. City of Gainesville. Amend the Land Development Code Section to allow Limited Pet Day Care in Single-family districts (RSF-1, RSF-2, RSF-3, and RSF-4) as a specially regulated use citywide.
Explanation
This is a petition to allow dog sitting businesses in single-family neighborhoods. This petition was initiated by the City Commission after reviewing a recommendation from the Community Development Committee based on a request from a property owner.
On November 2, 2010, the Board of Adjustment held a quasi-judicial hearing on Petition BA-10-07APP filed by Sondra Randon, Esquire, agent for Bruce Wayne Baber, appealing an administrative decision of the Planning and Development Services Department that a dog sitting business operated at 1713 NW 7th Avenue, is not a legal non-conforming use or a use by right in the RSF-2 (4.6 units/acre single family residential district) zoning district. After hearing testimony from staff, the applicant and citizens, the Board of Adjustment voted 3-2 to allow Mr. Baber to keep animals other than his pets, with the provision that maintaining animals other than as pets at his single-family residential property cannot be done as a business, and compensation cannot be accepted for doing so. This matter was appealed to the City Commission by an adjacent property owner and the City Commission heard the appeal on February 3, 2011. After hearing testimony from the appellant, the Board of Adjustment staff representative, the agent for the affected party and citizens, the City Commission reversed the Board of Adjustment's decision and moved that the matter be referred to the Community Development Committee to consider amending the Land Development Code to allow dog sitting in single family neighborhoods.
The Community Development Committee discussed the issue on March 22, 2011 and April 26, 2011. Staff was directed to review and comment on a proposa...
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