16/08/2023
For those of you have been following our zoning saga, the hearing is tomorrow, Wednesday August 16th, at 7:00pm.
I cannot thank you enough for the letters of support you've sent for me to take along. Things have been so rough, that I literally just read through them every so often, to remind myself that I'm truly doing the best I can for the dogs and the clients and that it hasn't gone un-noticed.
I have been advised by my attorney that there is a greater impact when supporters show up in person, so if anyone wants to come out, we gladly welcome the support.
It's at the North Whitehall Township Building
3256 Levans Rd, Coplay, PA 18037
https://goo.gl/maps/RXnLxZcNiHxV5ZkS8
We are second on the list but there is a chance that the first case might not show up, or that the township will go out of order of the list, so we will be there at 7:00
Here’s the information for those who haven’t heard what’s going on yet:
Dear Clients,
As many of you know my boyfriend, Mike, and I, purchased a property just 2 minutes up the road, in December 2021. Now, after a year and a half (and counting!) of renovations and property improvements, we have finally begun the process of getting the shop relocated to property. This will be an extensive endeavor on its own, but to even begin, we need a few variances to be able to build a building and operate the business. I am allowed to have a grooming salon at the property if it would be a “home occupation” but was declined due to “volume and general operating perimeters”, I can only operate in a space that is 25% or less of the primary living structure, which wouldn’t leave me with enough room to groom, so I am seeking a variance to be able to build a larger building which will house the grooming salon and an agricultural use area for the happenings and storage for the rest of our little farm. I also then need commercial variance that will allow me to groom in that space.
While most of our neighbors are on board and are happy to see the improvement we’ve made, there are a few who are strongly against it and have made their own conclusions on what they think will happen when a dog grooming salon is next door. This is where you come in! I’m asking for a few letters stating how I operate my salon (low volume, in and out, cage free service) and anything else you might like to add as far as noise levels and observations you have had about the salon. I have no intention on changing how the business operates and have always strived to make the grooming experience as stress free as I can for you, your pets, and myself!
The zoning hearing is 7:00pm, Wednesday, August 16th at the North Whitehall Township building and I would be so grateful to have some letters of support. If you’d be willing to do so, files or e-mails can be sent to me at [email protected].
I’ve also included the letter I’ve written to my neighbors that gives a little more information on what we plan on doing. As always, thank you for your support and hopefully by this time next year, you’ll all be coming to the sparkling new location of Bark N’ Bubbles!
Sincerely,
Brynn Haynes
Dear Neighbors,
We are writing you today to ask for your support in allowing us to obtain a zoning variance for our property. We would also like to clear up any misconceptions you may have heard as to the use of our property.
We purchased 4585 Court Street in December 2021. Since then, we have taken a previous eyesore to the community and improved it immensely, both inside and out. We take great pride in cleaning up the property for the better and will continue to do so as we work to turn our dreams into reality.
The reason we are seeking a variance, is to allow Brynn’s already existing dog grooming business to move and operate on our property. The use variance does not change the current zoning from (AR) Agricultural Rural Residential, but only allows Brynn to operate her personal business on our property. Brynn has been a dog groomer for 23 years with North Whitehall being the home of her small business since 2006. We purchased the Court Street property not only to preserve the agricultural land and keep these beautiful 6 acres from being over- developed, but to also keep Brynn’s small business in North Whitehall Township.
The agricultural building will be approximately 1920sqft, with only a small percentage of that being used for dog grooming. The remainder of the building is for our already existing agricultural need and use. The agricultural building will match our existing pole barn and will fit in with the look and feel of our wonderful neighborhood.
We understand that some of you may be concerned about the impact that a grooming salon would have on our neighborhood. We want to assure all in the immediate area that this will not negatively affect the neighborhood/neighbors in any way. Brynn’s grooming salon is operated as an “appointment only” facility. Clients bring their dog at their scheduled appointment time and their pet is groomed, start to finish. Owners are notified that the groom is almost complete and they arrive to take their dog home. On average, dogs are there for an hour and a half. The grooming salon is “cage-free” so no dogs are being held for long periods of time, nor is there excessive noise or barking. All equipment and dogs that may cause noise, are inside the insulated walls of the facility, and no dogs are left outside in any circumstance. All the products are 100% environmentally safe and pet friendly.
The hours of operation can vary slightly but generally fall between 8am to 6pm Monday-Friday, and one to two Saturdays a month, from 8am to 12pm. The business is small and low-impact and will not generate noise or pollution. The salon’s current location is surrounded by apartments both above and behind the salon and no noise complaints have ever been made in the 17 years it has been established. Brynn prides herself on the care she offers to each pet and pet parent and knows that her clients will be happy to speak on her behalf not only about the service she provides, but the cleanliness and aesthetic of her facility as well.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We appreciate your willingness to listen to our request. We believe this variance is fair and reasonable and we would be happy to answer any questions you have.
Please feel free to stop by if you see us outside. We may also be reached at 610-762-3711 via call or text. For more information on the salon and to see pictures of the current facility, please visit barknbubbles.net
Sincerely,
Mike and Brynn
★★★☆☆ · City government office
