Simsbury Dog Daycare Gets Outdoor Play Area Approved
SIMSBURY, CT — A dog daycare facility in Simsbury’s offerings now abide by local zoning regulations following recent approval from the town’s zoning commission.
The Simsbury Zoning Commission July 1 unanimously approved a change-of-use permit application from Simsbury resident Rikki Garson officially allowing an outdoor dog play area for her dog daycare business on 53 Quarry Road.
Garson owns and operates “Quarry Dog Daycare,” which provides shelter and care for clients’ canines while they’re away at work or on vacation.
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Dog daycare is a fast-growing service more and more is being used as peoples’ pets become ingrained in family life. The goal is to allow them to be engaged and socialized when their owners are unavailable.
In a written narrative from Garson, she said when the building was approved back in 2008, dogs were not allowed to be outside.
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When Garson opened her business at the site six years ago, she said a tenant at the site operated a dog grooming operation, and dogs, regularly, went outside to relieve themselves.
“So I had just assumed that the dogs were allowed to be there and the landlord never said that the dogs couldn’t be outside,” she told the commission on July 1. “So I’ve just been using the outdoor area.”
She eventually learned it wasn’t legal to have the dogs outside and, as a result, went before the zoning board to get approval.
Garson has a 1,500-square-foot outdoor play area for the dogs she serves.
“I am requesting this change because there are great benefits to a daycare setting for outside use,” Garson wrote to the town.
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“The main reason is for using the bathroom outside instead of inside all day long. Other reasons are for more room for movement in play. Dogs need room to run and exercise and our fenced in area allows extra room to have dogs split up into smaller groups for running and playing.”
Zoning officials said they were glad to help Garson operate her business.
“It sounds to me like you have a very successful business there. I sense there’s support to continue doing what you’re doing,” said Simsbury Zoning Commission Chairman Bruce H. Elliot.
For the minutes of the July 1 Simsbury Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.
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