Proposed pet ordinance concerns residents
Planning Commission has full house for meeting
Cathy May - Contributing Writer

"You cross the line when you come into someone's home and tell them how many pets they can have." These are the words of Nancy Curry as she addressed the Ripley County Area Planning Commission at the meeting held Tuesday, December 7.

More than fifty people crowded the Commissioners room at the Courthouse Annex for the meeting of the Ripley County Area Planning Commission. The only items on the agenda were the approval of 22 pages of ordinance changes the Commission had been working on for more than five years.

The public's only concern was about the proposed repeal of the current definition of a kennel which was adopted in April of 2004 and reads, "Any lot or use on which or where four (4) or more dogs, cats or other animals, more than six (6) months of age, are kept for the purpose of breeding, boarding, training or show of animals, except where accessory to an agricultural use or veterinary clinic use."

The Commission proposed going back to the original definition of a kennel which was in effect from 1970 until April of 2004 which reads, "Any lot on which four (4) or more dogs, or small animals at least four (4) months of age are kept." The original definition has only been used twice in 34 years.

When asked why the Commission decided to repeal the definition they changed in April and go back to the original, President Sam Row explained that it was on the advice of their consultant Harry Sheridan, who wrote the original definition and was the advisor for the Planning Commission for many years.

According to the code, if a person is considered to have a kennel they would have to provide two acres of land, have a 100 foot setback and provide 6 feet of screen planting.

Faye Wagner asked if there could be a distinction made between people who want to raise dogs for a profit and those who just want to have pets. Rhonda Supper, who has been in the county for the past two years, said she has 13 animals in all, most of whom are strays that people have dumped off. She sees that the animals are spayed or neutered and takes care of them. Her food and vet bills are more than $500 a month.

Eddie Armbrecht asked why they just didn't eliminate the law altogether since it has only been used twice in 34 years, once for an actual kennel violation and the other was a complaint from a woman whose neighbor had 23 dogs on her property which they worked out themselves. He was told they needed something on the books when there was a complaint.

The 90-minute discussion ended when the Commission voted unanimously to send the ordinance, including the repeal of the definition, on to the Ripley County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation. The County Commissioners will hear it at their next meeting on Monday, December 20. The Commission sent all 22 pages of ordinance changes on to the Ripley County Commissioners with favorable recommendations.

CATHY MAY PHOTO

Fifty people crowded into the room at the Planning Commission meeting held Tuesday, December 7. They were concerned with an ordinance proposal that they felt would intrude on their right to have a certain number of pets. Eleven of the twelve committee members were present for the meeting: Sam Row, Steve Youngman, Robert Gray, Henry Nickell, Jeff French, Sam Melton, Covell Mills, Roger Lang, Owen Menchhofer, Kaye Hunger and David Osborne. The ordinance change was sent with a favorable recommendation on to the County Commissioners, who will meet on December 20, at 8:00 a.m. in the courthouse annex.