by Bea Peterson
The Hoosick Zoning Board of Appeals held a Public Hearing Monday evening, December 6, on a special use permit submitted by Tracy Muscatello to build a 7,000 square foot dog kennel on her 22 acre property on the Buskirk-West Hoosick Road. About thirty people attended the hearing.
The kennel would contain 26 luxury suites and nine standard kennels, a large daycare center, a small play area for older dogs, a reception area, a cattery, an exam room, a grooming room, a kitchen, a laundry area and a mechanical room. The building would have central heat and air conditioning.
Muscatello envisions a facility where dogs that are lodged there will feel at home, and where rescue animals could be prepared for forever homes. She has a vision of serenity. Muscatello has operated a boarding and grooming facility in Latham for 20 years and said she has had no complaints from any of the adjoining businesses regarding noise or odor. She wants to offer her neighbors a similar environment.
Her neighbors turned out in force for the hearing. Half of them were supportive of her endeavor. Half had visions of 35 constantly barking dogs, lower property values and heavy traffic on their road from this commercial venture, especially from pet owners coming for grooming or for pet supply purchases. Others were concerned about fecal matter and runoff. Two neighbors submitted extensive paperwork to the Board listing their concerns about such a facility.
Muscatello explained that the building she has in mind would resemble a horse barn and would not devalue nearby properties. “It will be a luxury facility,” she said. She has seen several facilities of this type in the South and in the West. “It’s a new concept here,” she added. She also noted that no more than 10 dogs would be outside at one time, with an attendant. There would be a stockade fence to prevent the dogs from seeing something that would cause them to bark. She doubted dogs would be outside before 7 am or after 7 pm. Since they would have a large play area inside, she anticipates they would be outside for only short periods of time anyway. Waste would be cleaned up immediately and disposed of with trash pickup. Inside, the special turf surface in the play areas would have a drainage system connected to a septic system.
The only dog grooming that would take place on site would be to clean up a dog that had been rescued or one that was staying at the facility. Otherwise there would be no grooming. Pet supplies such as collars would be for sale to people who were giving a stray a home. There would be no retail area open to the public. And, Muscatello added, there are already other commercial properties in the neighborhood.
The only time there would be extra traffic on the road would be on days when Muscatello offered community events such as wellness days or education days.
With Muscatello Monday evening was Luigi Palleschi of ABD Engineers & Surveyors
who said this was the second time they had been to the ZBA with the project and they have already visited the Planning Board once. He said Muscatello has already relocated the planned structure and made many changes to accommodate some of the neighbors. He added that many of their concerns could be addressed by the Planning Board if the ZBA approved the special use permit. He pointed out that drainage and other issues had to be approved by the County Health Department.
Muscatello reiterated that she wants to build this facility and she will try to address all the issues of concern presented by her neighbors.
One person mentioned that since it is a “right to farm” area she could build a barn twice the size of the structure she plans to accommodate 35 cows and then she wouldn’t need a special use permit.
After an hour and forty minutes ZBA Chairman Jim Hoag thanked those present for their input and said the Board would review the materials they had been given, leave the hearing open and make a decision at a later date.