JPs weigh vet’s office permit

Issue to be revisited in April after votes come up short

FAYETTEVILLE — A majority of Washington County’s justices of the peace voted to approve a conditional use permit for the Kindness in Motion veterinary services business, but there were not enough votes to approve the ordinance Thursday night.

The justices of the peace favored an ordinance approving the permit by a vote of 7-3. The ordinance needed 10 affirmative votes to pass on its first reading and will be on the agenda for the Quorum Court’s April 18 meeting.

The justices of the peace split over the permit with some saying the business has been operating without objection for several years and others pointing out that the operation has recently been expanded and neighbors are concerned about future growth.

Coleman Taylor, justice of the peace for District 1, argued that the lack of concern from neighbors since the business began operating in 2017 was significant and that the operation isn’t going to change because of the permit.

“It’s a little bit out of the ordinary, but it’s a needed service,” Taylor said.

Willie Leming, justice of the peace for District 13, said the neighbors only learned of the business when the owner, Sandie Wood, found out she needed a permit and tried to comply. Leming also said there are other businesses in the area that predated the residential neighborhood.

“The sad thing is you told on yourself trying to get a permit,” Leming said. “There’s a lot of businesses going on in Washington County that people don’t have a clue that it’s going on.”

Robert Dennis, justice of the peace for District 10, said he had to support the homeowners who were there before the business opened.

“It would be different if the business was there first, but the homes were there and then the business came in,” Dennis said.

Joe Michie spoke on behalf of a group of neighbors opposing the permit. He said none of them wanted to see the business fail, but they wanted to protect and preserve their homes and the investment they have made in them.

“We’re not a commercial area,” Michie said. “We’re not a place to have signs, not a place to have security lights.”

The permit was approved by the Planning Board on Jan. 11, and neighbors appealed that decision to the Quorum Court.

According to information presented to the county, Wood has been operating the business from her home for five years. She was in the process of expanding through the addition of an office building when she learned she would need a conditional use permit.

According to a planning staff report, the business will provide routine veterinary care with a primary focus on end-of-life care, including palliation, hospice, euthanasia, pet aquamation and other services. Aquamation uses mild water flow, temperature and alkalinity to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials. The pet remains are dried and processed for return to the owner.