City council gives kennel a green light

The Columbia Falls City Council Monday night approved a conditional use permit for a new dog kennel business on Rogers Road.

Andrea and Will Brunz plan to build a dog training and daycare service on more than 11 acres that could accommodate up to 60 dogs.

The 3,800-square foot kennel building itself will be soundproofed with insulation in the walls and baffles in the roof. Waste will be incinerated in a medical-grade incinerator. City planner Eric Mulcahy said planning and county staff investigated the brand of the incinerator and found it to be used for a wide variety of uses, including incinerating Covid-19 waste for medical facilities.

The incinerator produces no smoke or fumes.

No one from the public spoke against the kennel during a public hearing. The business has several conditions, including the requirement for a 6-foot privacy fence to the west.

A subdivision has been approved, but not built, west of the kennel.

About one-third of the acreage will be used for the dog business. The couple already runs a similar business in the area and plan to relocate. The business will also have training yards and play yards for dogs to roam during the day.