HomeMy WebLinkAboutVR-99-0000 - Decision - 0633 Queen City Park RoadSOUTH BURLINGTON ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
STATE OF VERMONT
COUNTY OF CHITTENDEN
CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON
Re: Humane Society of Chittenden County Request for variance
633 Queen City Park Road
Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law & Order
This matter came before the South Burlington Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 12, 1999 by application
of Brad Rabinowitz, agent for Humane Society of Chittenden County, seeking a use variance from Article XII,
Commercial 1 District of the South Burlington Zoning Regulations. Request is for permission to remove three
(3) buildings totaling 8500 square feet used for a kennel use and construct a 12,500 square foot building for
kennel use partially on the original property and partially on an adjacent property to be acquired and merged
with the original property, 633 Queen City Park Road. The Board of Adjustment finds as follows:
1. This project consists of razing three (3) buildings totaling approximately 8500 square feet and constructing
a new building of 12,500 square feet for kennel use. The applicant will be purchasing part of an adjacent
parcel and the new building will be constructed partially on the existing property and partially on the newly
acquired property.
2. This property located at 633 Queen City Park Road lies within the C 1 District. The property to be acquired
lies within the C 1 and C.O. Districts.
3. The Humane Society has occupied this site since 1961. They occupy three buildings which cover an
existing footprint of about 4,800 square feet on the existing +/- 1.9 acre site. There is also a pet cemetery on
the site which the society maintains.
4. The mission of the Humane Society is as follows:
To foster compassionate treatment of animals and to prevent animal suffering through:
Educational programs for schools, community groups and the general public
Programs to reduce pet overpopulation
Sheltering homeless and unwanted animals
Efforts to place each animal in responsible and caring home.
5. The continuous use over the past 40 years has taken it's toll on the building. Space is tight and many
aspects of the mission cannot be adequately supported in the current facility. Even though the animal
population at the shelter has stabilized and even decreased in recent years (a trend that is expected to continue)
the existing facilities are inadequate to support the larger mission - particularly the educational aspects.
6. The original lot as purchased by the Humane Society about 1960 was in two sections. The first was about
1.4 acres - that is where the current structures were built. There is an additional section of about .33 acres that
runs along Queen City Park Road in front of the adjacent parcel to the west. Much of the driveway for the
Humane Society is on this parcel.
7. The existing site is quite restricted by slope and shape, with one building into the setback. Part of the goal
of this renovation project is to create a better site plan with the hope of eliminating all non -complying aspects
of the existing structures.
8. An exchange and purchase has been worked out with the owner of the parcel to the west (The Howard
Center for Human Services). The land owned by the Humane Society will become part of the land of the
Humane Society. (The western portion is being purchased by the Champlain Water District.)
9. As currently occupied, spaces used for housing animals does take a significant portion of the space of the
current facility. This does not represent the mission of the HS as much as their lack of adequate space. In the
proposed facility, the majority of the spaces will not be used to house animals. (The number of animals will
be about the same or slightly lower. Data from Chittenden County does support this downward trend and an
increase in the animal population at the shelter is not part of the program).
The current (3) buildings total about 8,500 square feet, of this about 3100 square feet or 36% is used
to house animals.
The proposed single building totals about 12,500 square feet of this about 3500 square feet or 28%
is used to house animals.
10. There are currently three (3) buildings on this site. As such, this is not in conformance with the zoning
regulations. One of these is built within the rear yard setback. The proposed construction would eliminate all
aspects of non compliacne by creating one (1) building well within all dimensional requirements.
ORDER
The variance request to remove three (3) buildings totaling 8500 square feet uses for a kennel use and
construct a 12,500 square foot building for kennel use partially on the original property and partially on an
adjacent property to be occupied and merged with the original property, 633 Queen City Park Road, is
hereby GRANTED.
Dated at City Hall, South Burlington, Vermont this d y of 1999.
red Blais, Cha an
in
South Burlington Zoning Board of Adjustment
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