11/03/2008 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • Date: October 17, 2008 To: City Council Members, Officials and the Police Department of Lino Lakes We are concerned about Ordinance No. 03 -08. Specifically 503.10 number 2 on private kennel licenses. While we agree with 503.10 number 1, parts "a" and "b ", we would like to discuss with you number 2. This part of the ordinance states that one acre of land is required for a resident to obtain a private kennel license. This requirement limits nearly 100% of new residents into Lino Lakes. Lots are typically .25 or .5 of an acre in new developments. Our property is located in the Pine Glen development, and is approximately .5 of an acre. We have been in contact with various city officials, and received the reasoning behind the requirement of at least one acre. It was stated that a larger lot size mitigates nuisances. We cannot see how a larger lot size is a factor in controlling potential nuisance problems. It depends on the homeowner and their level of responsibility. Amount of acreage does not apply when the dogs live inside the home, and are exercised with a leash. We feel this requirement should be evaluated and determined on a case -by -case basis. We would also like to point out that this requirement is not comparable to other surrounding cities. Lino Lakes is not nearly as populated as surrounding cities. Therefore, we would like to request a variance for our property. We are interested in owning three dogs. We currently have two dogs, and are interested in either adopting or fostering one more. We are agreeable to complying with all parts of the current animal control ordinance- obtaining a private kennel license, paying the respective annual fee, having an inspection of our property from a city official, keeping current on vaccinations, and registering the dogs at the city office with an ID tag. We feel strongly that it is possible to provide a safe home to three dogs on our property, with no nuisance complaints. Our property is next to a utility area and surrounded by wetlands on two sides. The area surrounding our lot is much larger than the portion of the lot we actually "own ". We upkeep the area surrounding the city utility barrier, and have sodded an extra part of the area near the wetland. Our dogs are never unsupervised while outside. They are exercised daily by wallang on a leash, and play ball in our backyard. The dogs respond to voice commands, and are never exercised in the front yard near the road or close to neighbors. The dogs live inside our home, as part of the family. We do not have an outdoor kennel, and the dogs are never left outside unattended.. As responsible dog owners, managing waste and preventing odor is not a problem. There is no disturbance to neighbors from barking or other noises. Instead of owning a third dog, should we decide to foster a third dog, I was informed that we are not allowed this either. We want to point out that again, this is not comparable to other surrounding cities. We have been in contact with several fostering groups