First Posted: 3/14/2012

SCOTT TWP. – Canio and Susan Padula aim to purchase a piece of property in Scott Township, at 345 Stone School Road, to fulfill a dream of breeding English Setters, to continue the blood line. The Padulas can purchase the property and install a kennel without advising the township board of supervisors because the proposal falls under the current township guidelines. However, they approached the board, which prompted neighbors to attend a planning commission meeting March 6 to voice concerns over the proposed kennel.

The Padulas are requesting a Conditional Use Permit to establish a dog breeding facility “Bayview Setters” to be contained in a barn on the property they want to purchase. They said the kennel would not exceed 25 dogs, all dogs would be housed in kennels inside the barn, and selected dogs would be allowed out at given times rather than the kennel population. The area would be fenced. They want to breed and sell dogs on an intermittent basis. The current town regulations allow for a kennel to be built in the zoned area as long as it does not exceed 25 dogs and has proper noise barriers.

Bob Sakosky, Chairman of the Planning Board said, “We have reviewed the ordinance and the ordinance stated that a kennel can be built as long as it is beyond 200 feet of an existing building. We have the regulations in place to protect both the property owner and the neighbors, and there are some things we can enforce and some things we can not. Tonight is simply a hearing to review what is presented to us, we then approve or disapprove it. And if we approve it we send it to the Supervisors for final approval. Even if we approve it and make recommendations, the board can say no, make their recommendations or they can just approve it.”

Neighbor Jim Kilonsky was not happy with the response . . “I own the house that will be next door to the kennel. We can see the barn from our house and we don’t want it there. Stone School Road is in horrible shape and additional traffic going to a kennel is going to make the road worse. I contacted a real estate agent and they told me my house value will go down if this kennel goes in. I have been trying to sell my house now and can’t. This will make it even worse,” he said.

Jack and Paula Banko, who also live near the proposed kennel, expressed concerns. “I have lived in my house for 10 years and I am also trying to sell it. We have a horrible road and bad water, now with a kennel, no one will buy our house. Our house has been on the market for three years and no one wants it. We like to have our windows open and now they will have to stay shut. This is not fair to us,” said Jack Banko.

Neighbor Jackie Jenkins said , ” I live where the kennel is being proposed and I am not in favor of it at all. Dogs bark . We live there, not you, we will have to deal with the noise, additional traffic and such. ” said Jenkins.

Padula spoke in defense of the kennel. “We didn’t have to bring this to the board and make it public, but we don’t want to hide anything and we were honest about our intent. We will be breeding English Setters and no other types of dogs. I will be breeding two females at a time to hopefully produce ten pups and then they are trained and sold, on an intermittent basis. I would have more cars at my house at one time for Christmas then I will in selling the dogs. I don’t want to hear barking either, I am the closest house and the dogs will be in a self -contained barn and they will not be out all at one time, so there should be minimal barking,” said Padula.

He added, “The dogs are a breed of hunting dogs and if we sell ten a year that is a lot…. This will not be a puppy mill. …we are not looking to install big signs advertising our place, and the dogs will be fenced in and never roaming around… .”

Sakosky addressed the concerns of the neighbors by stating, ” If there is a problem with the dogs barking and it is ongoing we will see how loud it is and we will test the noise levels. “

Board member Robert Vail Jr. added, “The township cannot decline someone who is following the ordinances. If you don’t want the kennel there, then purchase the property. .”

The commission approved the Conditional Use permit for the kennel , with one member, Joe Lick, abstaining from vote due to a conflict of interest. Approval included the following guidelines : the only breed of dog to be housed and bred will be English Setters; there is not to exceed 25 dogs at any given time, noise barriers must be installed and it is recommended that vegetation barriers are installed, there will be monitoring of the facility, dogs will be contained and there will be no boarding of any dogs.

The Board of Supervisors meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the township building March 15.