Animal Crematory Relocation On Hold

Animal incineration is not popular with some Lake Elsinore property owners, and they made their views clear during the regularly scheduled planning commission meeting Tuesday night.

Commissioners were scheduled to vote whether to approve a conditional use permit for an animal crematory to be located in an industrial park at 18345 Pasadena St., but instead voted unanimously to put off their decision until Feb. 1 pending more facts on the issue.

The permit applicant, , has an existing facility at 29360 Hunco Way and has been operating there for several years without any complaints from neighbors, according to a Jan. 18 report from Lake Elsinore City Manager Bob Brady.

Peaceful Paws owner Vivianne Villanueva and her husband Sarit Dhupa, a veterinarian, say the proposed relocation is necessary to better their operation.

"Our primary goal is to improve efficiency," Dhupa said of the relocation, noting that the existing facility comprises two buildings that are not conducive to streamlined productivity.

The Peaceful Paws owners are in escrow on the Pasadena Street location pending the conditional use permit, but there are problems.

The new location is zoned for limited manufacturing (M-1), which prohibits animal incineration. And nearby property owners who are opposed to having Peaceful Paws as their neighbor contend the industrial complex's CC&Rs also ban cremation.

Despite the zoning restriction, per section 17.136.030 of city code the commission still has the ability to grant the conditional use permit provided Peaceful Paws is in accord with "the purpose" of the M-1 zoning.

Peaceful Paws' current Hunco Way facility is zoned M-1.

During Tuesday night's meeting, several Peaceful Paws opponents spoke out against the relocation, citing air quality concerns, odors, CC&R restrictions and other considerations.

Villanueva and Dhupa extended invitations to opponents, and all concerned residents, to visit their Hunco Way facility.

"We've always had an open door policy," Dhupa said. "We've always believed in full disclosure."

Lack of knowledge about cremation is part of the problem, Dhupa said.

"People are so bothered by the concept they are not willing to go forward," he said.

Villanueva said people often have gory visions of what constitutes a cremation facility.

"There is nothing scary," she said.

Commission Vice Chair Phil Mendoza said he has visited the Hunco location several times.

"You would never guess what takes place in there," he said. "It's very clean."

ORIGINAL STORY:

Animal incineration is not popular with some Lake Elsinore property owners, and they will have a chance to make their case tonight.

During tonight’s Lake Elsinore Planning Commission meeting, commissioners will decide whether to approve a conditional use permit for an animal crematory facility in an industrial building at 18345 Pasadena St.

The applicant, , has an existing facility at 29360 Hunco Way.

According to a Jan. 18 report to the planning commission from Lake Elsinore City Manager Bob Brady, Peaceful Paws has outgrown its Hunco location and needs room to expand.

The report states there has been push-back from the community. On Jan. 13, the city received correspondence from an attorney representing adjacent property owners at the Pasadena location stating that the CC&Rs at the proposed site prohibit animal incineration.

The CC&Rs have not yet been confirmed.

According to the Peaceful Paw’s operational statement, two types of cremation services would be provided at the Pasadena location, including cremation of pets as well as shelter animals. Dogs, cats, birds, and possibly horses would be cremated at the facility.

While remains of privately owned animals would typically be returned to pet owners, the remains of other animals would be sent out to sea.

The public portion of tonight's planning commission meeting will be held at the .