City of Encinitas-City Council Appeal: PCIN 13-165

An appeal hearing in front of the Encinitas City Council is being held on 12/11/2013 at 6pm at City Hall (505 South Vulcan Avenue, Encinitas, CA 92024). The issue is to appeal an interpretation made by the Planning Commission on 11/17/2013.

Pacific Coast Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Inc (511 Saxony Place, Suite 100, Encinitas, CA 92024) is requesting the Council overturn the 3-2 vote against allowing animal dental use in a dental clinic space. The established definitions provided by section 30-04 of the Encinitas Zoning code does not define dental as strictly human treatment and defines clinic as a space for both human and animal uses; with this literal interpretation of the code, animal dental use is allowed.

Another concern for the Planning Commission was the potential noise and smell that is often, incorrectly, associated with a veterinary practice. All possible negative impacts have been thoroughly addressed and mitigated in the lease negotiated with the buildings owners. The clinic is a low volume (2-4 cases per day) specialized dental and oral surgical clinic for animals. Cases include root canal therapy on fractured teeth, jaw fracture repair, oral cancer surgical removal and advanced periodontal therapy. In essence, it is a general dentist, endodontic, periodontist and oral surgeon’s office, rolled into one practice for animals.

Noise and smell will not be an issue, even for those other tenants within the same building.

No animals will be boarded after hours and no routine veterinary care treatments/procedures (spay/neuter, vaccines) will be provided.