A controversial plan to build a 50-dog kennel on the edge of West Cocalico Township, bordering Denver Borough, will come before township zoning officials Thursday.
Resident Aaron H. Martin is seeking a special exception to operate a dog breeding kennel on his property at 220 N. Line Road, Stevens. The front portion of Martin’s property is zoned village center residential, and the back is zoned agriculture.
The proposed 16-by-30-foot kennel would hold a minimum of 50 dogs at the back of Martin’s property, which borders several properties in Denver Borough, including residential tracts, the Garden at Stevens nursing home and soccer fields that belong to Cocalico School District.
Denver Borough Council discussed the kennel at its meeting April 29 and unanimously decided to send a letter to West Cocalico expressing the borough’s disapproval of Martin’s application. Council members oppose the kennel primarily due to concerns about its location and size.
Similarly, township supervisors discussed the kennel at its meeting May 2 and voiced the same concerns as the borough.
“I’m strongly against it,” supervisors Chairman J.J. Stoner said. “I just don’t think it’s the place to be, with the retirement home and the school district’s there.”
Township Manager Carolyn Hildebrand agreed. “There’s a lot of reasons to deny it because it just doesn’t fit in the neighborhood,” she said.
While the township and borough oppose the project, the township’s zoning hearing board has the final say on the application.
Township supervisors said they would ask solicitor Josele Cleary to attend the hearing Thursday on behalf of the township to assess its legal standing.
