High Country Critters March 25 2017
15010 Basin Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO. 80908
Cover page/Letter of Intent
Owner/Applicants
Michael & Lynda Gehring
15010 Basin Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO. 80908
Home: 719-495-9155
Site location
15010 Basin Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO. 80908
Size, Legal Description & Zoning
35 acres
Lot 4 Wildwood Ranch Estates, Filing 3
RR5
Request
Special Use Permit to become code compliant and allow for the keeping, boarding and breeding of more than 4 dogs.
Justification
Applicants are licensed with the CO. Dept of Agriculture (PACFA) as well as insured by Hartford for boarding and breeding.
Existing Facilities
Dog kennel is part of a 42’x64’x14’ Pole barn/Ag building. The kennel has 4 indoor/outdoor runs. Inside area is 12’x32’, outside run area is 14’x32’.
Proposed Facilities, Structures and Roads
None
Waiver Requests
None
High Country Critters March 25, 2017
15010 Basin Dr.
Colorado Springs, Co. 80908
Letter of Intent
El Paso County Development Department
2880 International Circle, Ste 110
Colorado Springs, CO. 80910
Mike and Lynda Gehring are seeking a Special Use Permit which would allow for more than 4 personally owned dogs and continued dog boarding services. We are licensed with the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture (PACFA) for dog breeding and boarding. We own the Water Rights to our 35 acres and have a ‘land classification’ of Agricultural with the El Paso County Assessor’s office… thanks to our herd of Tibetan Yaks.
We have been a small time breeder of Golden Retrievers (& Yaks) at this location for 17 years. We enjoy training and competing with our dogs, we currently have 5 adult Goldens all champions with obedience titles as well. We average 1-2 litters per year, pups are sold for pet, show, working, service and therapy dogs with 85% being sold with Limited Registration (no breeding rights). Our dogs live in the house with us, plus we have our kennel facility when needed.
We offer short term dog boarding for dogs purchased from us as well as friendly dogs from our local community. We can accommodate up to 12 dogs (2-3 per household depending on size) but prefer just 4-6 at any given time. Due to our limited availability, we average only 2.5 boarding clients per week, and do not offer ‘doggy day care’. Our road Basin Drive is a 1/2mi. dirt road and NOT County maintained. All grading is done by us (Mike Gehring) and snow removal is done by us and an adjacent neighbor.
Our kennel has 4 indoor/outdoor runs which are all 6’ chain link panels. The inside runs are 5.5’x8’ with cement floor covered with raised black mats. The walls & ceiling have galvanized metal paneling with operational windows on the east and west. The kennel is temperature controlled, has a gutter running the whole 32’, and is complete with doggy doors, running water, bathtub, hot water heater, frig and grooming table (currently we only groom our own dogs). The outside runs are 8’x14’ with pea gravel over hardware cloth. Outside runs have a solid overhang with shade slats weaved through the chain link. Larger breed dogs are allowed to come out in groups to the common areas/dog yards and comingle with our dogs for several hours per day. Feces is picked up daily, added to livestock manure and spread on pastures.
We are asking permission to have up 18 dogs on the premises at one time. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely, Michael and Lynda Gehring