4761359 Zoning Commission - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: ZC Case No. 13-15 (Text Amendment to Add New Section 1803.16)

ZONING COMMISSION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

Z.C. Case No. 13-15

(Text Amendment – 11 DCMR)

(Text Amendments to Allow Veterinary Boarding Hospital and Veterinary

Hospital Uses in SEFC/CR District)

 

The Zoning Commission for the District of Columbia, pursuant to its authority under § 1 of the Zoning Act of 1938, approved June 20, 1938 (52 Stat. 797, as amended; D.C. Official Code § 6-641.01 (2012 Repl.)), hereby gives notice of its intent to amend § 1803 of Chapter 18 (Southeast Federal Center Overlay District) of Title 11 (Zoning) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).

 

The proposed text amendment would add a new § 1803.16 to allow veterinary boarding hospital and veterinary hospital uses in the portion of the Southeast Federal Center Overly District that is also mapped in the Mixed Use Commercial Residential District. The proposed amendments would make the uses subject to the conditions, some of which may apply to only one (1) of the uses.

 

Final rulemaking action shall be taken in not less than thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.

 

The following amendment to the Zoning Regulations is proposed:

 

Chapter 18, SOUTHEAST FEDERAL CENTER OVERLAY DISTRICT, is amended by adding a new § 1803.16 to read as follows:

 

1803.16           Notwithstanding §§ 602.1(r) and 618, veterinary boarding hospital and veterinary hospital uses are permitted in the SEFC/CR Zone District, subject to the conditions below, which apply to both uses unless stated otherwise:

 

(a)                No more than fifty percent (50%) of the gross floor area of a veterinary boarding hospital may be devoted to the boarding of animals;

 

(b)        A veterinary boarding hospital may board any animal permitted to be lawfully sold in the District of Columbia, pursuant to § 9(b)(1) of the Animal Control Act of 1979, effective October 18, 1979 (D.C. Law 3–30;  D.C. Official Code § 8-1808 (h)(1));

 

(c)        A veterinary hospital may include the boarding of animals as necessary for convalescence;

 

(d)       Animal boarding at a veterinary boarding hospital shall take place entirely within an enclosed and soundproof building so that no noise or odor emanates onto neighboring properties;

 

(e)        Animal and animal waste odor shall be controlled by means of an air filtration system or an equivalently effective odor control system;

 

(f)        External yards or other exterior facilities for the keeping of animals shall not be permitted;

 

(g)        All animal waste shall be placed in closed waste disposal containers and shall be collected and disposed of at least once a week by a qualified waste disposal company; and

 

(h)        Pet grooming and the sale of pet supplies are permitted only as accessory uses (i.e., not as an independent line of business).

 

All persons desiring to comment on the subject matter of this proposed rulemaking action should file comments in writing no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice in the D.C. Register.  Comments should be filed with Sharon Schellin, Secretary to the Zoning Commission, Office of Zoning, 441 4^th Street, N.W., Suite 200-S, Washington, D.C. 20001, or signed electronic submissions may be submitted in PDF format to [e-mail]. Ms. Schellin may also be contacted by telephone at [phone] or by email: at [e-mail].   Copies of this proposed rulemaking action may be obtained at cost by writing to the above address.