Lenoir City Council will hold a public hearing

[dobs4ever]

www.akc. org/governmentrelations/index.cfm
April 26, 2012
Legislative Liaisons: Please forward the following information to fellow
club members and colleagues in North Carolina who may be affected by this
proposal:
On Tuesday, May 15, the Lenoir City Council will hold a public hearing and
vote on a proposal that would severely restrict the number of dogs that can
be kept in residential areas.
Those who own five or more intact females would be defined as a “
high-volume dog breeder” and only permitted to keep their dogs in an area zoned for
general business, limited business, or heavy industrial use.
Responsible dog owners residing in Lenoir are encouraged to attend the
Tuesday, May 15 hearing and also contact city council members and ask them to
oppose the proposed zoning ordinance amendments. Scroll down for hearing
details and contact information.
Background:
Current city zoning ordinances allow private kennels on residential
property in certain instances, if the animals are kept for a hobby (such as “
raising…show and hunting dogs”), and not for commercial purposes. “Private
kennels” are defined in current law in part as more than three, but no more
than 10 dogs, cats or other small animals.
Kennels where more than three dogs, cats, or other small animals are kept “
for commercial purposes” are only permitted in districts zoned for general
business, limited business, or heavy industrial use. However, the term “
commercial purposes” is not defined.
Summary of Proposal:
The proposed amendments to be considered by the council would create the
following definitions:
* “High-Volume Dog Breeder” – Defined as any breeder who owns five
or more intact females. This definition makes no reference to whether the
dogs are actually being bred.
* “High-Volume Dog Retailer” – Defined as any person who sells,
resells, or transfers ownership of more than 30 dogs during a calendar year.
Those who meet either of these definitions would be subject to the same
zoning restrictions as commercial kennels and only permitted in areas zoned
for general business, limited business or heavy industrial use. They would
no longer be permitted in areas zoned for residential use. This would
significantly impact the ability of hobbyists and sportsmen to keep intact dogs
in their home.
How You Can Help:
* Attend the Lenoir City Council Meeting on May 15, and respectfully
ask them to oppose these amendments. The meeting information is as
follows:
Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Lenoir City-County Chambers
905 West Avenue
Lenoir, North Carolina
* Contact the members of the Lenoir City Council and respectfully
ask them to oppose the amendments. The council contact information is:

Councilman T.J. Rohr (Mayor Pro-Tem)
E-mail: _timothyjrohr@ charter.net_ (mailto:timothyjrohr@ charter.net)
Councilman Todd Perdue
E-mail: _todd.perdue@ parkwayins. net_ (mailto:todd.perdue@ parkwayins. net)

Councilman Merlin Perry
E-mail: _merlinperry@ gmail.com_ (mailto:merlinperry@ gmail.com)
Councilman Lewis Price
E-mail: _smcannon@ci. lenoir.nc. us_ (mailto:smcannon@ci. lenoir.nc. us)
Councilman David Stevens
E-mail: _dfstevens@ssfcpa. net_ (mailto:dfstevens@ssfcpa. net)
Councilman Ron Stilwell
E-mail: _ron@stilwelldesign .com_ (mailto:ron@stilwelldesign. com)
Councilman Ben Willis
E-mail: _ben.willis. lenoir@gmail. com_ (mailto:ben.willis.lenoir@ gmail.com)

AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) will continue to closely monitor this
proposal. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at (919)
816-3720 or _doglaw@akc. org_ (mailto:[e-mail]) .