Permit refused for Wandin North dog boarding kennel, one year after “unauthorised” facility shut down
A year after an unauthorised dog boarding kennel drew complaints in Wandin North, councillors have refused a permit for the kennel to reopen.
Councillors have refused a permit for a controversial Wandin North domestic dog boarding house proposal, one year after neighbours complained about barking and roaming dogs from an unauthorised set-up at the same property.
Yarra Ranges councillors voted to refuse the permit at its council meeting on Tuesday night.
Deputy mayor Gareth Ward said the application was “inappropriate” for the area.
“It is commercial intrusion into a rural area ... and the land noise impact has not been adequately addressed,” he said.
“Our rural residents deserve that protection.”
A packed gallery applauded when the application was refused.
The Happy Paws Boarding Farm was planned for a 4.37ha property on Rodger Rd.
Late last year, neighbours lodged a string of complaints about an “unauthorised” dog boarding kennel operating from the same property.
Neighbours complained about barking dogs, animals roaming the street and straying onto their properties, sparking a council investigation.
Inspectors later shut down the operation.
“The complaint was resolved by the community safety team, all animal boarding on the site ceased,” Tuesdays council agenda says.
Council inspected the site again in September and found no dogs were being kept at the site.
Property owner Stanley Li submitted a development application in July to convert an existing outbuilding into a 22-pen animal boarding area and to construct a 1.8m wire mesh fence around an exercise yard near the outbuilding.
The home on the property will be used as a caretaker’s house and the existing driveway will be used to access an on-site carpark.
The application proposed a maximum of 22 dogs to be boarded at any one time in 3 sqm pens with an elevated metal frame and cushioned bed, with 24/7 supervision, however pick up and drop off times were limited to 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5pm.
The proposal received 29 objections from the community, including a petition with 16 signatures.
Neighbours’ concerns included noise from barking dogs, traffic safety, bad smells from the dogs, and issues with waste management.
A Wandin North local, who did not wish to be named, said he was “frustrated” by the application.
“Why would we allow this when they have already been done for running a dog boarding house without any approvals,” he said.
“If it gets approved it is just a kick in the guts to the neighbours who have to put up with this.”
Despite the objections, council officers recommended the application be approved, subject to several changes including reducing the maximum number of dogs on the property to 18, the addition of an acoustic lining in the walls and roof of the outbuilding and a requirement for dogs to be kept locked inside between 8pm and 8am.
Despite the previous unauthorised boarding house on the site, this cannot be taken into consideration in the planning decision.
“The planning application must be assessed solely on the information provided within the application itself,” the council agenda read.
“Past actions or instances of noncompliance cannot be considered as part of the planning decision.”
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