Special Use Permit Application from Fianna Litvok, Dog Training Facility with a Kennel

At the Front Royal Town Council Work Session on June 3rd, Fianna Litvok’s  application for a special use permit to operate a dog training facility with a kennel was presented by Director of Planning and Zoning Jeremy Camp.

The Tip Top K9 Dog Training facility to be located at 650 w 11th Street in Front Royal.

The application is for a use described as a dog training facility / kennel. A detailed description of the proposed use is provided by the applicant and attached with the application. The business  name would be Tip Top K9. It would offer obedience training for dogs. Customers would primarily be private citizens. The applicant’s business description indicates that most training will be off-site at the pet owner’s house or other location. However, there would be “doggie bootcamps” on-site.

Commercial kennels are described as secondary and related only to the “doggie bootcamps”, where pet owners would leave their dogs at the facility for 2-4 weeks. The applicant initially hopes to be able to have 1-4 dogs housed at the site, but with a growth potential for up to 10.

The Applicant has included a soundproofing plan. This plan proposes several measures that will be taken initially, including the following: 1) “Mounted wall and ceiling acoustic panels”, 2)“Soundproofing curtains”, and 3) “Calming aromatherapy”.

If noise is a problem after these measures, the soundproofing plan includes other measures that will be taken to mitigate noise so it will not be a nuisance to the adjacent uses. A floorplan of the proposed facility is also included with the applicant and a site plan. The layout includes two dog training areas and a designated kennel area and a dog washing station. A restroom is also located beside the dog washing station but is not illustrated in the Applicant’s sketch.

The site includes 5 parking spaces in the rear of the building on a gravel surface. There appears to be one space per tenant, plus one additional space labeled by a sign as visitor parking. There are two apartments upstairs and the two commercial spaces on the lower level. Street parking also exists in the front of the building. Below are parking calculations of what the Town Code requires for off-street parking. The use does qualify for a parking exemption, as found under Town Code 175-127. This allows existing businesses to be reused with the existing parking provided that it is adequately maintained and delineated.

The Warren County Building Official commented that the use will require a change of use application with the Warren County Building Inspections Department. The Town Public Works department commented that the dog waste and trash must be bagged in accordance with the Town Code. They further indicated that a work order has been submitted for the resurfacing of the front parking area by the Town.

A special use permit is required because “Kennels” C-1 District, pursuant to Town Code 175-39.B. Town Code 175-3 defines a Kennel as follows: equipped and/or used to house, board, breed, handle (5) or more dogs six (6) months of age or older.

This application will have a public hearing sometime in the future.

See related Planning Commission presentation:

Town Planning Commission Meeting May 15, 2019: Dog kennel, daycare & new subdivision