A “conditional use” hearing was held last Thursday as part of the Warriors Mark Township supervisors meeting.
The hearing was in regard to the proposed expansion of the Town and Country Animal Hospital located in the village district of the township on State Route 550 near the State Route 350 intersection.
The hospital was opened in 1989 and the proposed expansion is the first major change to the structure since it opened.
In a previous Daily Herald article, Margie Wertman, Town and Country office manager said, “Our examination room space is somewhat limited — we currently have three exam rooms — and this project will provide a significant amount of space so that we can serve more patients at one time.”
The new area will also help the hospital in dealing with larger animals.
“We don’t just offer care for smaller, domestic pets,” Wertman explained. “We also provide care for large animals — horses and other farm livestock — so the additional space will be a welcome change for the better.”
This is the first time since the clinic was opened that a major building project has been discussed and planned,” Wertman said. “It’s been something that’s needed to happen and we’re glad to finally get moving on it.
“We want to be able to serve our patients to the best of our ability and this expanded building will help us do just that,” Wertman said.
Area contractor Bruce Cox has been hired to do the construction work. Both he and the founder of the hospital, Dr. Wayne Hershberger, DVM, attended last week’s hearing. The clinic is now a corporation with Hershberger serving as president on the corporation’s board.
The “conditional use” hearing stems from the township’s zoning ordinance, which was adopted last year. The hospital is a “non-conforming use” as the area is currently designated on the township-zoning map. However, the animal hospital existed before the zoning ordinance. The proposed expansion calls for an increase of more than 10 percent.
Solicitor Larry Clapper told supervisors, “as such, the zoning ordinance requires if the owner desires to increase the area containing the use, the owner has to obtain a conditional use approval from the board of supervisors.”
Clapper explained the zoning ordinance allows the supervisors to grant a conditional use to expand a non-conforming use by more than 10 percent. The ordinance allows the supervisors to grant the use if they find the proposed use is “in harmony with the appropriate development of the zone.”
The ordinance also requires the use to have proper access to streets and will not create traffic congestion or cause industrial or commercial traffic to use residential streets. The use must have adequate water supply, sewage disposal, storm drainage and fire and police protection. The ordinance requires that the use will not impair the value of surrounding properties. The board can also attach reasonable conditions before granting the use.
There were no objections to the granting of the conditional use from township officials or the public and the board granted the use by unanimous vote.
There was no estimate available as to the cost of the project or when construction might start, according to information provided by the animal hospital this morning. During comments made during the conditional use hearing, the size of the expansion was estimated at 3,000-square feet.
