Buffalo Township supervisors grant permit for dog grooming, but not kennel
BUFFALO TWP — Supervisors voted 2-1 to approve a conditional-use permit for a home dog grooming business on Beale Road, operated by Robert and Jacqueline Micholas.
However, the board denied the couple’s request to operate a dog kennel at the home.
Supervisors last month struck down the Micholas’ request to operate a combination dog kennel and grooming business out of their home, after a public hearing which saw several of their neighbors speak out against the idea. Those neighbors expressed concern that noise from the proposed kennel would negatively impact their quality of life.
In response, the couple — along with their lawyer John Pallone — split their application in two, submitting conditional-use requests for both dog grooming and dog kennel businesses.
The dog kennel application was denied for much the same reasons as it had been in March. According to township solicitor Brian Farrington, a dog kennel is not an approved conditional use within the R-2 residential zoning district where the Micholas home is located.
On the other hand, Farrington said dog grooming was an approved conditional use, citing similar dog grooming businesses in the township that were previously been approved.
“Whereas dog kenneling is only permitted as commercial … section 321 of your zoning ordinance permits home occupation, which my office has traditionally interpreted to permit activities such as dog grooming,” Farrington said. “There have been other dog grooming operations that have been approved under that.”
The dog grooming application was approved with a set of conditions. The business must obtain all necessary licenses from the state of Pennsylvania, comply with nuisance ordinances, and not keep dogs overnight that are not theirs.
In addition to approving dog grooming and denying the dog kennel, the township voided its decision from the previous month to deny the conditional use permit entirely.
The motion, which consisted of three parts, was not approved unanimously. Supervisor Michael Oehling voted no.
Neither Robert nor Jacqueline Micholas were present for Wednesday night’s board meeting.
