Zoning Ordinance Amendment Adopted by City Council

An update to the language of zoning ordinances regarding kennels in Chelsea has passed its second reading.

Chelsea Animal Recreation Center brought concerns to the Council about the restrictive language of the original ordinance and the inability for kennels in a non-rural environment to follow the guidelines several weeks ago. Working with the Planning Commission and looking into ordinances for kennels established in similarly populated towns, the Council updated the ordinance.

“In a nutshell our current ordinance, even though it ‘allowed’ kennels to a degree, it almost basically outlawed them because of the requirements that were there,” City Manager Marty Colburn said.

The ordinance now requires at least a quarter of an acre per ten animals, a minimum of six-foot high fencing be in place around outdoor exercise areas for the animals and noise pollution reduction practices for all kennels in the Chelsea community.

The amendment was adopted at the March 3 City Council meeting by unanimous vote.