CLINTON — County board member Kristina Deerwester has reportedly resigned her seat on the board after a zoning issue that arose during the August 24 board meeting.
An applicant for a special use permit, (SUP) Ashley Miller, to operate a kennel also planned to conduct animal rescue from the facility. Before discussion at the August 24 meeting, board chairman Joe Witte pointed out the county ordinance for special use permits might not cover animal rescue activity.
“I want to be clear that our ordinance does say a special use permit shall be granted for one particular use,” Witte said.
Witte said a kennel with breeding could fall under the ordinance.
“But, an animal rescue does not fall under kennel,” Witte said.
Some Illinois Department of Agriculture requirements also applied for operation of the kennel, so Witte proposed the application be approved with the condition the kennel owners obtain a kennel license from the Department of Agriculture within one year of granting the special use permit.
Witte also included the applicant comply with the Animal Welfare Act.
Miller said she was told by the IDOA she did not qualify for a kennel license because her animal census was below the necessary number of female pets. She said she would need six more female pets to qualify.
Witte said, according to his information, the applicant would apply to the IDOA for one license for a kennel and a second license for breeding.
Miller said that applied only for applicants who were not hobby breeders. She said the county ordinance would require her to have a kennel license even if she were not breeding pets.
At this point, board member Deerwester interrupted.
“Where exactly do you find that statute,” Deerwester asked.
Miller said her information came from a county employee.
“There is nothing in writing in the county about how many animals that you have,” Deerwester said. “It is a state law that if you have more than five breeding females then you are considered a breeder, and by state statute, you have to get a breeding license. The only thing locally is with Clinton as a city. They have an ordinance that you can have only four animals, period.”
• Read the complete story in the Friday, August 8 print edition of the Clinton Journal or now in the Journal E-Edition for subscribers.
