Crown Point Residents Urged to Support Animal Rescue Amid Zoning Dispute
A nonprofit animal rescue, New Leash on Life, is appealing to Crown Point residents for support following a setback at the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. On August 24, board members voted unanimously against rezoning a property for New Leash on Life’s planned facility at 12430 South Court Street.
The proposed 20,000-square-foot facility includes an animal shelter and low-cost veterinary clinic. It faces opposition from nearby residents citing concerns over noise, property values, traffic, and allergens.
A Crown Point City Council meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. on September 8 at Crown Point City Hall where New Leash on Life will present their project for a vote.
Donna Burrell Pace, founder of New Leash on Life, expressed surprise at the decision and urged supporters to contact Crown Point council members ahead of the meeting. She emphasized the shelter’s importance, particularly its collaboration with St. Jude House to protect pets of domestic violence survivors.
The proposed site, currently zoned as Residential Zone 1, is in an open field near Burrell Drive and Court Street, north of St. Jude House and opposite Dean and Barbara White Southlake YMCA. According to Pace, the location was chosen for its proximity to other nonprofits and natural buffers.
BZA Vice-Chairman Jeremy Taylor and member John Marshall led the recommendation against rezoning, citing inadequate mitigation measures to protect adjacent properties.
Rick Mossell, owner of Heartland Builders and a partner with Golden Meadows Subdivision, opposed the rezoning. He argued residential zoning should remain, expressing concern over noise from the shelter.
Diana Murray, a resident of Golden Meadows, also raised noise issues. She noted earlier experiences of hearing sounds from the YMCA and fairgrounds despite natural buffers.
New Leash on Life’s engineering firm, DVG Team Inc., provided details on the distances and buffers from surrounding homes, insisting they have designed measures to mitigate concerns.
Project manager Caleb Kreis highlighted the facility’s design, modeled on advanced, noise-reducing shelters elsewhere. He noted their collaboration with renowned architects and contractors.
Anna Schoon, executive director of St. Jude House, supports the rezoning. She highlighted the shelter’s potential benefits for domestic violence survivors, allowing proximity and volunteer opportunities.
The Crown Point Community Foundation plans to build a facility nearby, supporting the shelter as a philanthropic neighbor. Mary Nielsen, Foundation president, praised the area’s suitability as a hub for nonprofit and civic organizations.
The City Council previously approved zoning changes from Residential Zone 1 to Open Space Type 1 for the foundation’s project, aiming for completion by 2027.