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Commissioner Gordon clarified that this is a public hearing, and no decision will be made <br /> tonight. <br /> Mike Schmidt said he would use his three minutes to tell a story. He said he was having <br /> a tough day at work. He said he drops his dog off early in the morning and usually picks up late <br /> at night, but he took off early and picked up his dog early. He drove up the driveway and saw <br /> his dog chasing bubbles that someone was blowing. He said he asked about this and he was <br /> told that the kennel had researched how to create dog sensitive bubbles to give the dogs <br /> different play and interaction. He said he was told long ago that you can judge someone by <br /> their actions when they don't know they are being observed. He said these people really care <br /> about these animals, and he wants to tell about the great benefit he receives, along with the <br /> hundreds of others that signed the petition. <br /> Jane Bozart said she sent an email, and if this is in the record she does not need to <br /> repeat it. <br /> Ken McNish said he has been bringing his dog to Sunny Acres for three years, and he <br /> feels that the key feature that makes it different is the open space for the dogs to run. He said <br /> there are a lot of complicated things being discussed tonight; but this is simple, and the proposal <br /> makes sense. <br /> Susan Heske said her dogs have been at Sunny Acres for two years, and aside from the <br /> benefit of the dogs being able to run and socialize, it is also a very professional business. She <br /> is amazed at the staff and the commitment. She said it is located in an area that can use some <br /> business. She is not aware of any neighbors waging any complaints. She said she is more <br /> concerned with the process and why this situation has not been adjudicated in 8 years. She said <br /> a fair amount of money was invested in improving an existing fence. She said this is about <br /> process, and her concern is why this has remained dormant for so long. She said this is a low <br /> impact business, and there is nothing harmful to the environment. She said the kennel provides <br /> jobs to people and is a benefit to hundreds of dogs. <br /> Peter Eckhoff said he has been a customer of Sunny Acres for 4 and a half years. He <br /> said his son came down with cancer, and his dog was boarded for 2 months at Sunny Acres. <br /> He said the dog was high energy, and he was able to go out in the runs. He said when the dog <br /> came home and was then taken back to the kennel; he dragged the owner to the front door. He <br /> has had other dogs at other kennels, and it wasn't the same experience. He wonders what the <br /> basis is for the ordinance, and he noted the proximity of the highway and the noise created by <br /> that. <br /> Michael Brough said he would like to address a couple of issues. He said if the choice <br /> of a variance was available, that would have been pursued. He said the consensus was that <br /> the variance opportunity is not a real possibility. He said the conditional use permit is out as an <br /> option, and so is an appeal. He said the only realistic way to cure this is the legislative solution <br /> before the Board. He addressed Commissioner Gordon's question about a universal change. <br /> He said he is very sensitive to this, and he represents a number of local governments. He is <br /> very sensitive to an ordinance change being broader than the needs of the particular applicant; <br /> however he is frequently called upon to craft legislative solutions to deal with particular <br /> situations like this one. <br /> He said the reality is that the applicant has drafted a very narrow amendment, and it only <br /> affects 200 acres, and quite likely it will only affect this property owner. He said this is not a <br /> question of amending an ordinance of universal applicability or not. He said the realistic choice <br />