Commercial Kennel; File No. UPE24-0009
Summary
SCH Number
2026090672
Public Agency
Sonoma County
Document Title
Commercial Kennel; File No. UPE24-0009
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/16/2026
Document Description
The project is a Use Permit to establish and legalize a commercial dog kennel allowing up to 8 annual litters that operates by appointment only, expanding from an existing pet fancier use on site. No new employees are proposed as a apart of the project, the business would continue to be operated by the two property owners. The business does not have set hours of operation as the site is only open to the public through appointments, which on average range from about one to two appointments per week. The project proposes to allow the breeding and sale of up to eight litters of puppies per year. The puppies are raised and housed inside the single-family dwelling on the property, with access to securely fenced areas where they can exercise and play. The site currently operates as a pet fancier which has a limit of four litters each year. The property owners were exceeding the 4 litter limit as they were raising about nine or ten litters per year when they received a violation by County Code Enforcement. The exceedance of 4 litters per year crosses over into the definition of a commercial dog kennel, requiring a Use Permit in the RRD zoning district.
No new structures, additions, exterior modifications, grading, landscaping, or tree removal is proposed as a part of this application. The operation will be contained within the existing single-family dwelling and fenced outdoor spaces. The barn and attached accessory dwelling unit are not included within the scope of this project.
Contact Information
Name
Alisa Rossetti
Agency Name
Sonoma County
Job Title
Planner, Lead Agency
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Shelley and Brad Anderson
Agency Name
Property Owner
Job Title
Applicant
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Healdsburg
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
San Francisco Bay Area
Cross Streets
Bailhache Ave and Toyon Dr
Zip
95448
Total Acres
3.94
Parcel #
097-160-021
State Highways
101
Railways
CA Department of Transport
Airports
N/A
Schools
Healdsburg Junior High School, Healdsburg Elementary School
Waterways
Russian River
Township
09N
Range
09W
Section
23
Base
Diablo
Other Location Info
1854 Bailhache Ave,Healdsburg, CA 95448
Schools: Rio Lindo Adventist Academy
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities)
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project will continue the existing residential use and the existing dog breeding use, and in this case, will result in a less intensive use than that currently occurring on the site, as the permit only authorizes eight litters per year (the current operation has nine or ten litters per year). Due to the proposed decrease in use, staff determined that additional environmental studies, including a noise study, were not necessary. During the period when the expanded use was operating, no noise complaints were received from neighboring properties. No exceptions listed under Section 15300.2 apply.
County Clerk
Sonoma
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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