NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP ZONING HEARING BOARD **MINUTES** June 1, 2016

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1 1 The North Strabane Township Zoning Hearing Board met in regular session on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at 7:00 P.M. at the Municipal Building, located at 1929 Route 519, Canonsburg, PA. Attending this session W. Patric Boyer, Chairman Robert Shader, Vice Chairman Steve Bilko, Secretary Matthew Adams, Member Richard Murphy, Member Also attending this session Candie Wauthier, Court Reporter Margaret Householder, Coordinator APPROVAL OF MINUTES POSTONED ADMINISTER OATH HEARING, FOR PROPOSED DOGGIE DAY CARE, GROOMING AND OVERNIGHT KENNEL Approval of minutes was postponed, as they are not yet ready. At this time the oath is administered to all those who wish to give testimony this evening. This is an application of Jessica Salko, 1028 Oakbrooke Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317, requesting a special exception to Article 27, Section 901, subsection C, paragraph c. Owners of property are Albert and Scott Bier. Location is 14 Boot Road. Parcel number is Lot size is 5.5 acres. Present use vacant. Zoning district is C 1. Proposed use dog daycare, grooming and boarding facility. I believe that the Board should approve this request because: three page letter will be attached to these minutes). No previous application was filed. Applicant is the lessee. Approximate cost of work involved undetermined possible renovations of existing building or new construction. Following are the names and addresses of owners of property within 300 fee: Albert and Scott Bier 2150 Washington Road, Canonsburg Woodruff Partners, LP 2820 Washington Road, McMurray Sandra Pinkerton 26 Blue Jay Drive, Washington Range Resources Appalachia LLC 1900 Dalrock Road, Rowlett, TX Vincent and Susan Kletch 294 Chubbic Road, Canonsburg

2 2 Joseph and Cheryl DiPippa 290 Chubbic Road, Canonsburg K. Kovnanian Ohio Real Realty LLC th St. NE, Canton, Ohio The application was accepted as completed on May 6, The fee was paid and the hearing was advertised on May 18 th and May 25 th, Following is a synopsis of the testimony. Jessica read into the record her letter submitted in support of her request for a comparable use not provided for. Her proposal is for a dog daycare, grooming and overnight kennel business, to be located at 14 Boot Road. This request is for a new location, the former Route 19 Auto Salvage. Currently, pet services are permitted but overnight stays are not in a commercial district. This business would include outdoor runs. There is a similar business in Peters Township, The Pooch Pit, which is on Valley brook Road. It is next to a ballet studio and the Arrowhead Trail. Camp Bow Wow is located in Allegheny County. Currently kennels are permitted in an A 1 district, with a minimum of 5 acres. The property at 14 Boot Road is 5 acres, and there is a 2,000 square foot area in the back, which is fenced. The dogs would be outside through the day, but not overnight. They would be indoors overnight. The existing building is 400 feet from the nearest residential structure along Chubbic Road JESSICA At this time Scott Bier, one of the owners of the property, joins the meeting and is sworn in. He stated that if this is granted, we will make the necessary renovations to the existing building. Pat reviewed the documents submitted and labeled the computerized drawing of the property as Exhibit A. Scott stated a Phase 1 Environmental Study was done, and there is no problem with the property. The biggest concern of the Board of Supervisors is probably the noise, and at this location, there is already traffic along Route 19 which is noisy. The nearest residences would meet the minimum distance requirements previously proposed and currently in effect in the A 1 district. The concern is the special exception for the comparable use not specifically listed. Pat then read the definition for pet services, which are permitted. Pat then had Jessica go through the history of her request for this business.

3 3 She began with a commercial building on McClelland Road, the former Cabinet World. EVA SWETON Steve asked if this is manned 24/7. Jessica explained there is video monitoring which she will monitor from her home. Staff usually leaves by 8:00 P.M. and the dogs usually sleep better when staff is not there. The building will be equipped with fire and burglar alarms as well. Staff arrives between 6 and 6:30 A.M. Jessica explained that originally she considered the former Cabinet World location, but the concern was the proximity of nearby residential and commercial buildings. Scott explained the proposed layout of the property. He explained if the dog runs are situated away from Chubbic Road, and cut into the hillside, the dogs wouldn t be seen and they would be farther away from the homes on Chubbic Road. There are indoor and outdoor free roam areas for the dogs. The outdoor area will be fenced. The indoor kennels for overnight stays vary in size from 4 x 4, 4 x 6, and 6 x 8. Jessica plans 47 kennels and no more than 75 total in daycare dogs. Steve asked whether soundproofing is planned. Jessica explained the walls will be well insulated. There is no specific requirement for sound proofing. When the dogs are inside, you shouldn t hear them from outside. You may hear them when they are outside. Jessica continued dogs barking equals about 60 decibel, and traffic is 70 decibels. The traffic should drown out noise from the dogs. A lawn mower is 80 decibels. We will not allow the dogs to bark continuously. We have to keep the dogs busy, keep them playing, and active, so they don t bark. Pat invited members of the audience to give any comments. Eva lives at 219 Chubbic Road. It is about a half a mile. She wants to know about the sewage system. Scott Bier explained there will be holding tanks, because there is no sewage. We have a contract with Hapchuk to empty the tanks. Eva then asked about parking. Scott answered there will be sufficient parking to meet the Township requirement. Eva added there is so much traffic from the day care nearby, and lots of vehicles turn around at Chubbic Road, blocking the road. This will add to the traffic. Jessica commented the traffic is already on Route 19, and our entrance will be Boot Road. Matt Adams stated he travels Chubbic Road every day and has not had a problem with traffic. Pat explained traffic is not really a consideration for this Board.

4 4 EVA SWETON MARIAN SWETON Eva asked how the hearing was advertised. If people don t get the Observer, they wouldn t know about this request. Bob Shader explained property owners within 300 feet of the exterior limits of the property involved all receive a notice. She continued this is starting to look like a junkyard. Pat commented it used to be a junkyard. Eva responded it looked better. The antique place at the end of the road is full of construction and trucks and trees. This road looks like it belongs in West Virginia or somewhere. She doesn t feel this will be an improvement. Jessica read the requirement regarding the acceptable decibel level readings in a commercial district and is comfortable she will meet those requirements. She lives at 211 Chubbic Road and is guessing she is a little less than a mile from the site. She continued there is a lot of traffic on Chubbic, because it is a shortcut from Route 136. We moved to the country for peace and quiet. We ve lived there since Pat asked if the proposed use is better or worse than the previous use. She answered this will be a lot more noisy. There was never noise from the junkyard. It didn t bother her that much. Her problem is the amount of noise that 40 dogs or more is going to create. She has a situation already on Chubbic Road where a woman has numerous dogs and it s very noisy. The woman must rescue dogs and we hear them barking and crying. We don t want to run anyone out of her house. The uses she spoke about are permitted uses. We are trying to hide the dogs. If we need to put a buffer Jessica added there is already a wooded buffer. Scott added if we need to put evergreens up, we ll do it. Traffic is not something we can control. If her neighbor has too many dogs, she should call Animal Control. Pat is wondering how to handle this request. This section is for uses that are not specifically listed. The Ordinance cannot address every use. Pat does not like this particular provision, because it cannot allow for almost any use. However, pet services are permitted in a C 1 district. This business will be open 7 days a week Sundays will only be 10 to 4. The boarding is more seasonal summer vacations, etc. The day care will be yearround. Does someone want to make a motion? I don t know how to frame the motion, but the point is that it is exceeds the 300 foot requirement and it meets the five acre requirement. The principal use is daycare, not boarding. The outdoor area will be situated furthest from the residential area.

5 5 BOB SHADER I will make a motion that we approve the special exception for the following reasons: the special exception is a comparable use not specifically listed, subject to Section 1303, subsection 16. A permitted use within this area is pet services. Pet services are not defined as necessarily a kennel, but I do see what you re doing as a comparable use, under the permitted use of pet services. Therefore, I think it fits within the special exception, though it s a very vague special exception. Under the circumstances it fits; therefore, I make the motion that we permit the doggy daycare/kennel operation, based on those reasons I just gave. Are we going to require that the outdoor area be situated furthest from the closest residences? Yes, we can specify that. That will be designed by the applicant to provide the sound limitations necessary. And the sanitation, too. I know that was a priority. They were worried about disposal of feces, so it s all going to go in the concrete pump out. I ll second. The motion carried, all members present voting yes. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Pat Boyer, seconded by Bob Shader, to adjourn the meeting, all business being concluded. The motion carried, all members present voting yes, and the meeting was adjourned 7:45 P.M. W. Patric Boyer, Chairman Steve Bilko, Secretary