Planning commission recommends amendment to allow veterinary clinics as interim use after narrow vote

The Sherburne County Planning Commission voted 4–3 to recommend an amendment to the county zoning ordinance that would add veterinary clinics as an interim use, sending the draft ordinance to the County Board for final action on June 16.

Staff planning and zoning manager Mark Schneider told the commission the draft distinguishes small- and large-animal clinics, sets performance standards and limits certain activities in shoreland, floodplain and platted residential districts. The revised text narrows large-animal services on five-acre lots to haul-in, same-day care, prohibits overnight boarding on those parcels, caps employees in rural districts, sets a 200-foot setback for outdoor containment areas and adds rules for carcass management and employee counts.

The amendment was proposed after staff reviewed model ordinances and comments from townships and residents. Schneider said staff received 34 written comments during the ordinance-drafting process and additional submissions in the days before the hearing. He summarized changes that reduced conflict points raised at earlier meetings and said applicants would still require an interim use permit (IUP) to operate on a specific parcel.

The public hearing drew supporters and opponents. Ian McCoy, counsel for the applicant Dr. Ashley Anderson, argued the change establishes a predictable county-wide framework and disputed a suggested 200-yard setback as a misreading of Minnesota Board of Animal Health rules, which he said apply to horse-to-horse quarantine rather than property-line setbacks. Several speakers representing horse owners and event organizers said local equine care is scarce and that modest five-acre clinic operations—limited to appointment-based, in-and-out care—are typical and needed for community events and emergencies.

Opponents told the commission the draft lacks adequate screening, neighbors’ protections and realistic rules for medical emergencies. Ann Felber and others urged larger setbacks, stronger screening standards, and expressed concern that prohibiting overnight stays on smaller parcels would be unsafe for critically ill large animals that require stabilization.

Commission discussion centered on balancing access to veterinary services and neighborhood protection. Members questioned whether a 200-yard carcass management standard could be met on a five-acre parcel and whether the ordinance should better define emergency care and quarantine procedures. Schneider and commissioners said those operational details would be further clarified in the IUP review, where applicants must describe containment areas, days and hours, and quarantine protocols.

After discussion, a motion to forward the ordinance as revised passed on a 4–3 roll call. The commission’s action is a recommendation; the County Board will make the final determination at its next meeting on June 16.

If the County Board approves the amendment, the ordinance will create a county-level pathway for new veterinary clinics while leaving property-specific standards and operational limits to the IUP process, which the record shows commissioners intend to use to address site-by-site screening, traffic and emergency-care concerns.