Small animal veterinarian services could become available in Gering’s central commercial district in the future.
The Gering City Council this week approved adding a vet clinics-limited definition to potential uses in the district zoned C-2, which includes downtown and properties to the north on 10th Street.
City Engineer Annie Folck explained there would be a number of conditions required for such a business location to open, including one intended to provide additional oversight. “We’re recommending that this be allowed still just through conditional use permit, which will give us just a little more oversight, but still be reviewed on a case by case basis, which will give us an opportunity to make sure that it is appropriate, that neighbors have been notified and they have a chance to come weigh in and make sure that we’re doing everything we can to mitigate for any issues that we have with conflicts,” Folck said.
Other conditions would include no boarding with walk-in services, all required parking had to be truly off-street in a parking lot, and any such clinic must be at least 100 feet away from any residential district.
Folck said city staff and the planning commission wanted to avoid some of the less-desirable impacts that can occur with a full-service vet clinic, such as noise from barking dogs. She said the net effect of the requirements as proposed meant a small animal vet clinic would generally be limited to 10th Street from the UP track to the north.
The council approved the proposal unanimously.
