ZTA 2025-02 - Commercial Kennels

Inyo County is amending its zoning code through Zone Text Amendment ZTA 2025-02 to redefine and standardize terminology and regulatory requirements related to commercial dog operations. The amendment renames the term “Kennel” to “Commercial Kennel” across Title 18 of the Inyo County Code to align with Chapter 8.20 on Dogs, ensuring consistent definitions within local regulations. This change impacts specific sections including 18.06.305, 18.12.020, 18.12.040, and relevant subsections of 18.21.040, 18.22.040, and 18.49.020, where all references to “kennel” are updated to “commercial kennel” for clarity and legal precision. A new requirement is introduced mandating a conditional use permit for any commercial kennel operation within the Open Space zone, adding an additional layer of regulatory oversight to land use in sensitive areas. The amendment is administrative in nature, focused on code consistency and zoning enforcement rather than infrastructure or service delivery, and no physical goods, deliveries, or procurement activities are involved. The action is being processed as a local legislative measure under California’s environmental review framework, with the County asserting a CEQA Commonsense Exemption for the amendment on the grounds that it does not result in significant environmental impacts. The project is countywide in scope and is being administered by the Inyo County Planning Department, with public submission of materials required to be delivered in physical form to the County Clerk’s Office by the September 24, 2025 deadline. No federal contract clauses, procurement mechanisms, pricing structures, delivery terms, or formal contracting personnel such as CORs or COTRs are applicable, as this is not a competitive procurement or service contract but a regulatory update enacted through local ordinance. The Planning Director serves as the primary point of contact, and while administrative fees for environmental filing are noted, these are not contract costs but state-mandated charges unrelated to the amendment’s implementation. Approval authority rests with the Inyo County Board of Supervisors, who will formally adopt the amended code following the public comment period.