Sec. 59-G-2.32. Hospital, veterinary.

   (a)   In any commercial, central business district or transit station zone where permitted by special exception, a veterinary hospital must comply with the following conditions and requirements:

      (1)   There must be no runs, exercise yards, or other facilities for the keeping of animals in any exterior space.

      (2)   All areas for the keeping of animals must be soundproofed.

   (b)   In any residential or rural zone where permitted by special exception, a veterinary hospital must comply with the following conditions and requirements:

      (1)    In the R-150, R-90, and R-60 zone, the minimum lot size is one-half acre.  In the R-60 zone a veterinary hospital must be located along a major highway with an existing right-of-way width of no less than 90 feet, and be adjacent to or confronting a central business district or a property zoned for commercial use.

      (2)   Exterior areas used to exercise, walk, or keep animals must be set back from any property line 200 feet and screened from adjacent residential properties.  All exterior exercise areas and runs must be fenced for the safe confinement of animals.

      (3)   For all buildings in which animals will be present, maximum expected interior sound levels must be reduced to 40 dBA (A-weighted decibels) outside, measured at ten feet from the structure.

      (4)   All buildings and accessory structures must be set back from any property line a minimum of 50 feet.

      (5)   No animal may be outdoors between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.

      (6)   On weekdays, the sound at the nearest receiving property line must not exceed 60 dBA between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 50 dBA between the hours of 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.  On Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays, the sound at the nearest receiving property line must not exceed 60 dBA between the hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 50 dBA between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m.  Terms are defined in accordance with the Montgomery County Noise Ordinance (Chapter 31B of the Montgomery County Code).  In any event, the predicted maximum receiving property line sound levels must not exceed the characteristic ambient sound levels by more than 3 dBA at any time.

      (7)   Dogs must not be walked or exercised in outdoor areas that are off-site.

      (8)   In addition to the submittal requirements in Sec. 59-A-4.22, the applicant must submit the following information.  Applications submitted without this information are incomplete and will not be accepted or assigned a case number:

         (i)   acoustical engineering studies that demonstrate that the proposed use meets the standards in Sec. 59-G-2.02(b)(3) and (6) above.  The studies must show the worst scenario sound level.  The statement of operations must be sufficiently detailed to allow determination of how often the worst scenario sound level occurs.

         (ii)   detailed floor plans that show all the interior areas and their use designations,

         (iii)   site plans that show the layout of all exterior areas used to exercise, walk, or keep animals.

      (9)   The Board must specify a minimum number of off-street parking spaces, taking into consideration the number of employees on the maximum shift, the number of doctors practicing simultaneously, and the number of appointments and deliveries.  This number must in no case be less than 5.

      (10)   The Board may regulate the number of animals that may be boarded, exercised, walked, or kept in runs or similar areas, and the manner in which animals are boarded, exercised, walked, or kept.

      (11)   The Board may regulate the office hours and the number of appointments.  Animals may be seen by appointment only.  Emergency patients and visits to pick up prescriptions and pet-related items may also occur, within office hours only and without prior scheduling: abuse of this exemption may lead to revocation of the special exception.  A written log of all appointments and drop-in and emergency client activities must be kept, to be available for inspection by County authorities.

      (12)   Any accessory operation, such as grooming or the sale of pet food and supplies, must be set forth in the statement of operations and must be limited as an accessory activity to a percentage of sales not to exceed 20%.

      (13)   All litter and animal waste must be contained and controlled on the site.

      (14)   Animals may be kept overnight at the hospital only for medical purposes.  If animals are kept for non-medical purposes, a separate application for an animal boarding place must be approved.

      (15)   If the proposed use is located in an area that uses well water and septic facilities, the applicant must prove that the use will not have any negative effect.

   (c)   Any veterinary hospital lawfully existing prior to the effective date of this ordinance is a conforming use, and may be extended, enlarged or modified by special exception subject to the provisions set forth in this section.

(Legislative History: Ord. No. 8-53, § 16; Ord. No. 10-8, § 2; Ord. No. 14-47, § 1.)