Due to the high volume of questions we have had relation to our plans to re-zone and build on the property located S of E Brown St and E of Kreymer Ln, we have started this Q & A page to help serve as a factual way to communicate some of the concerns/questions that have been brought to our attention. If you have any further questions, please email: Pres@CollinCountyHumaneSociety.org
Q: Who is LHS and what is the proposed plan?
A: LHS is a non profit 501c3 Dog Rescue Organization. Our mission is to provide assistance to dogs and cats who have been abused, neglected and abandoned. We are brought together by the common belief that it is our community’s responsibility to help give adequate care and attention to animals in need of permanent homes and veterinary assistance. LHS currently has over 85 foster homes and over 120 volunteers. If approved, the Adoption Facility will house dogs and cats who have been fully vetted, temperament tested and lived foster homes. The dogs will stay at the facility for 45 days max and then rotate back into foster care if they are not adopted. In addition to the adoption program, the facility will also have grooming, boarding, a fenced dog park, and dog training. The facility will house a vet on site for the public low cost spay neuter programs and more. With the current widening of Brown St we feel that this location will serve as a great place to service the animals and the community of Wylie.
Q: What do we plan to do with animals that are dumped on our property?
A: We will have security cameras and signs stating that Animal Dumping is not allowed and Violators will be Prosecuted. If animals are still dumped on the property, having a building will enable us to work to transition those animals into our foster program and move dogs to the Facility that are ready for adoption. If there is no space in LHS foster homes or the facility then we have a large network of other rescue groups that we will work with to take in the animals that were abandoned by their owners.
Q: How do we plan to manage the barking of the dogs at the facility?
A: The facility will house all of the animals inside. There are five play yards available for the dogs to utilize on nice days in small groups. For the safety of the animals and the employees the number of dogs in the play yards and required supervision will be strictly enforced. The four small play yards can have 1-4 dogs and the larger adoption play yard can have 1-8 dogs at a time. Three play yards are on the back of the property and two play yards face the street. All of the play yards will have cinder block walls used as a sound barrier and to decrease the external stimulation of the dogs. The landscaping will also serve as a buffer for sound as it has been proven to keep noise levels to a min. After 6pm there will be no dogs outside so barking will not be an issue after business hours.
The material that the walls of the facility are made of will help to ensure that all of the noise inside the building, stays inside the building. We have taken measures to run sound testing, research other facilities similar to our building plans and adjust our plans accordingly to ensure that all of the building material is the best materials used to contain sound inside the building.
Q: What happens if the building is built and maintenance funding fails?
A: We have been researching and planning for the selection of land and the proposed facility for 2 years. The plans are constructed in a way to ensure the financial stability of the project. The purchase of the land is the first step in the process over the next three years we will work to secure 100% of the funding to break ground and complete Phase I. Phases II and III will be constructed with the business plan, grants and funding model that has been thoroughly researched and thought out. But in order to receive the larger funding amounts, the property needs to be secured.
LHS has a HUGE backing from the greater DFW area and beyond. In addition to our solid support base, we also work with North Texas Non Profit Resources to write grants for LHS. The construction model also includes other faculties to help support excess revenue to upkeep the building (i.e. renting out the grooming space, renting out the boarding space, vet revenue, allowing trainers to rent our conference room for training and many other areas that we have researched to help sustain the cost of maintaining a facility such as the one we have planned for that location). We currently have over 120 volunteers and over 85 foster homes. We average 70 adoptions a month and with the building we will be able to double those numbers. Again, there is no 110% way to prove that any facility, building or business will succeed; you just have to believe.
Q: How do we plan to manage the light pollution?
A: LHS has no desire to attract attention to our building after hours. We will take every measure to ensure that the requests from the citizens to keep the lighting as low as possible (and within the city’s ordinance) is achieved.
Q: What safety measures are in place to ensure the dogs are secured?
A: The dogs are all secured in indoor runs behind a series of doorways. For a dog to get out of the facility they would have to maneuver through four doors before getting out of the building. The play yards are all supervised and only accessed behind another set of doors; therefore to escape the building a dog would then need to get through a series of five doors. These dogs are also all well socialized, fully vetted, friendly and non aggressive dogs that have lived in foster homes and passed our screening process.
Q: What benefit does this facility have to Wylie?
A: This facility will provide 70 construction jobs, 26 support staff positions and countless volunteer opportunities. The low cost Spay/Neuter program will be a great asset to the community and help to lower the unwanted pet population. People will visit our dog park and facility then stop at gas stations, restaurants and shops to buy items that will support outside revenue and benefits to the city of Wylie. The park will serve as a place for your dogs to have safe/controlled exercise. Many shelters including Plano Animal Shelter reported a 20% increase in people registering their pets with the city when their dog park opened (which will help increase revenue to the city and ensure that more dogs are vaccinated and accounted for). Birthday parties, Scouting Groups and schools can use and visit our facility to help strengthen community involvement. Training, boarding and grooming will be easy to access and you have the peace of mind knowing that your pet is in great hands when in our care.
Q: Why are there horses currently on the land if the plans do not call for Equestrian usage?
A: The land and has been zoned agricultural for as far back as anyone can find. The current owner rents space out to horse owners to board their horses; the current usage of the land has absolutely nothing to do with LHS.
Q: What is the land currently zoned and what does the Ag/30 PD change mean?
The change in zoning that LHS is applying for will change it from Ag/30 to Ag/30 with Planned Development. This change will not affect anything outside of this 10 acre lot. The plan also is specific to our build plans and actually puts more restrictions on LHS than having it changed to general Commercial zoning. We opted for this change in zoning to work with the city and build a plan that works for the majority. The change in zoning stays with the land so should something happen to LHS and another developer come in, they would have to stick to our plan or apply for re-zoning to change the plans. The term Planned Development does not mean that we are putting in a strip mall, it just means that we have three phases to our plans (as outlined here: https://legacyhumanesociety.org/pdf/LHS-FloorPlanRevised01-30-12.pdf) hence the name “Planned Development.”
Q: Will dangerous or stray dogs be housed at the facility?
A: No. LHS pulls dogs from Euthanasia lists of shelters in the greater DFW area. The dogs are then move into foster homes and will rotate through the facility after they have been fully vetted and temperament tested. NO dogs will be at the facility that have not been fully vetted, temperament tested, lived in a foster home and are cleared both mentally and physically. Of our 85 foster homes, 75 have kids and at least two other dogs living in their home. We work with one another to share resources in order to test how the dog or cat will react with men, women, dogs, cats and kids. This means that every dog at the Adoption Facility will have been tested with men, women, kids, cats and dogs before being approved to move to the center.
Q: Does LHS Euthanize animals?
A: We only Euthanize if the animal is aggressive (in which case he/she will never make it to the facility) or if the animal is too sick to pull through and the vet recommends humane EU (again in this case the animal would have never made it to this facility). All EU will happen at the vet and the bodies will be disposed of in accordance with the law through the vet.
Q: How many animals will the facility house?
The facility will house Max 78 Adoptable dogs,16 cats, and 75 dogs for public boarding.
Q: Will dogs be outside?
A: Play time in the outdoor play yards is limited to only a few dogs at a time with supervised play (this is for the safety of the animals and the staff) during business hours. The facility will close at 6pm therefore no dogs will be outside after 6pm. The fencing is made of cinder blocks therefore safety and noise will not be of concern to anyone outside of the play yards.
Q: What type of inspection will this process be subject to?
A: The city oversees the construction, plans and regulations of the facility. We are subject to inspection as the law deems necessary (typically this means that the city will inspect upon completion of the building and then there out if there are problems, complaints or concerns). We would absolutely welcome and be open to inspection from the city and their ACOs when ever they please.
Q: Is staff required to be licensed or trained to handle animals?
A: There is no regulation for training/rehab experience (but we do have training/rehab experience and will require this of all employees/volunteers).
Q: Is a vet required to be on site?
A: There is no requirement to have a vet on staff as our animals all have complete vet records and see a vet regularly; Although we do plan to have a vet on staff that will be also open to the public.
Q: Will there be other services provided to the citizens besides adoption?
A: We do plan to have a public dog park, vet, boarding, grooming as a service to the city of Wylie and a way to help open up jobs and volunteer work for the public. The dogs on site will be groomed for sanitary reasons but this services is also open to the public.
Q: How many parking spaces will there be?
Phase I Phase II Phase III
Spaces required for building 23 34 48
Spaces provided for dog park 22 23 26
Total spaces 45 57 74
Q: How will this effect Owner Surrenders in Wylie?
A: The City of Wylie takes in Owner Surrenders for/from the citizens of Wylie (you will need to check with them about their intake policies). The LHS adoption center will not be an intake facility; again it will be strictly for dogs that have gone through the foster program (of which we have over 85 foster homes and over 120 volunteers and growing). Should someone want to surrender their dog or cat to LHS, you will need to complete our Owner Surrender forms and send pics and vet records so we can work to find them a place in our program or with of the many rescue groups that we work with to secure placement for unwanted pets.
Q: Can we view the financial history of LHS?
Our financials are open to the public. You can access our tax records through
www.GuideStar.com
Q: What does it cost to adopt from LHS?
A: We do charge $150 (seniors), $200 (dogs) and $250 (puppies) for adoption fees
https://legacyhumanesociety.org/adoption-fees.html. This covers ALL of the vetting for the animals. Puppies are more because they require three sets of vaccinations and dewormer. When you adopt a dog from a facility that charges $20 that does not include the cost to get the dog S/N, current on vaccinations, HW test and treated for any ailments that the dog/cat might have.
Q: We already have a shelter, why do we need this facility?
A: The proposed adoption facility is not Animal Control. Animal Control takes in dogs that are found stray and holds them until the owners surface at which point if the dog or cat is not adopted in X amount of time, Animal Control will have to put them to sleep due to aggression, health or space. LHS takes in these dogs that have health issues or have simply run out of time/space at the local shelters. We rehabilitate these animals in foster homes. We complete routine spay/neuter, microchip, HW test, vaccinations and then if needed, we have them treated for any other health issues including but not limited to: broken bones; diabetes; Addison’s Disease; Heartworms; dental work; eye surgery; hip surgery, and the list goes on and on. Essentially we remove dogs from shelters that would cost the city money to have them put to sleep and we rehabilitate them, vet them and help find them forever homes. This Adoption Facility will allow us to save twice the amount of dogs and cats that we are currently able to house through foster homes alone.
Q: What is the benefit of having a dog park?
A: A majority of the land is not build able space due to easements and power lines so we felt that our plans make great use of the land given that the majority of the open space can be used as a public dog park to serve the community. In fact the biggest beneficiary from dog parks is your community. While dogs and their owners love playing in them, dog parks can create a safer, more active, pet-friendly community.
Dog parks make your community safer by offering a secure area for dogs to play and socialize, without getting in the way of others. Fenced off from other public areas, dog parks help ensure off-leash dogs cannot go after or annoy patrons outside of the park. Also, socialization between pets typically makes for calmer, less aggressive animals, which means they are less likely to attack. While not true for all dog parks, many cities have reported a drop in crime in parks that also had a dog park. And don’t forget, parks give dogs access to more exercise lessening the amount behavioral issues, such as barking, that may cause neighbors to call Animal Control.
Behavior problems are the number one reason pets are brought to shelters or abandoned. Having access to a dog park means your pal can get the vital exercise he needs, while becoming socialized. These things combined with training can drastically reduce the amount of behavioral issues, such as barking and digging, that lead many to give away their pet. Because of this, overcrowding of shelters can be reduced. Typically, over time this will also lead to a decrease the number of pets euthanized in your area.Parks also offer a safe place for pet adoptions. Instead of bringing a dog to a shelter, owners that can no longer care for their pet can meet up with potential adopters. This gives people looking to adopt the chance to make sure the dog is right for them and the pets they already own.
Finally, parks help your community become more pet-friendly as a whole. By putting up a bulletin board in the dog park, community members can be given easy access to information about rescues, shelters, training and fun pet events like Bark in the Park and Mardi Growl.
Makes for a better community by promoting public health and safety. Well-exercised dogs are better neighbors who are less likely to create a nuisance, bark excessively, and destroy property. Their presence in the park, along with their owners, also may help deter crime.
Q: Why this location?
A: Commercial lots are extremely expensive. This lot fits our needs based on price and the fact that it is currently zoned Ag/30 therefor we do not have to pay the high price of Commercial land but we are still able to board the animals as the land has been used since as far back as records provide. We are requesting a change to Ag/30 PD (Planned Development) which will enable is to do more than just board/house the animals. Because this is an area of the city showing great signs of growth we want to help the community by bringing in more awareness and revenue. This change in zoning will serve as a benefit to the community as we will have public grooming, dog training, public boarding, public vet, adoption area and public dog park. This in turn has been proven to: provide jobs, provide volunteer opportunities, provide training for families having problems with their pets as well as low cost Spay/Neuter whereby decreasing the number of unwanted pets at the city shelters.
Also, with Brown St widening, the site lends to fit the development of a non residential building given that it is already in the process of changing from a two lane road to a four lane road with a center median and turn lane. The other commercial properties in the area are on main thorough fares and priced accordingly at $1million+. This is the best use for this piece of land given the road widening, power lines, easements, creek and expansion of Wylie.
The property has also been on the market for 10 years with the neighbors even fighting DRHorton who wanted to make it residential. The property is listed for $205,000. There is no sewage system on the property. A Civil Engineer gave LHS a quote of $50,000 to have sewage run to the lot. Based on comparable lots and residential building plans in the area, it is estimated that the home developed on that site would be $200,000+. This means that someone would need to spend a minimum of $455,000 to put a home on this lot. Given that the lot has huge power lines crossing the front half of the lot and causing the remaining 8 acres to be unbuild able space and given that the lot has been passed up for the past 10 years by people looking to build there home on this site and given that the road is now widening to 4 lanes with a turn lane/median, we feel that our building plans make the best use of the land, offers the community services and will benefit Wylie through increased jobs and revenue. This proposed plan is a community involved development and is best served when located in close proximity to the families and homes that we will service.
The lot is currently zoned Ag bringing in $300 a year for the city through property taxes. Our facilty will bring in revenue to the city of Wylie indirectly through people stopping at gas stations, shopping and having meals at the restaurants in the area before and after visiting our facility or dog park. Our facility will bring in revenue to the city of Wylie directly by the sales tax generated through people using our grooming, vet and boarding services.
At the end of the day the land is privately owned and zoned Ag/30 allowing for housing of indoor/outdoor farm animals so our plans for an indoor adoption facility to service the community is a much less noisy alternative to outdoor farm animals (since noise seems to be the number one concern).
Q: Aren’t shelters or boarding facilities in industrial areas?
A: While there are shelters or boarding facilities in industrial areas, there are also many facilities who’s property lines touch or are adjacent to residential zoning/homes. A few examples are: Paws Beach Resort in Plano, Doggie Wonderland in Coppell, Second Chance SPCA, SPCA McKinney, Pet Paradise in Plano, Doggie Wonderland in Plano, In-Sync Exotics, Grand Prairie Paws Adoption Center, Irving Animal Shelter and Plano Dog Park.
Q: Is everything purchased from this facility considered a donation and tax free?
A: Services provided at the facility (ie boarding, grooming, vet, etc) will be charged a sales tax. These services are not tax deductible because the purchaser is getting a service in return. Tax free services would be any donations made to the facility/LHS above the value of the item (i.e. if someone boards their pets with us for $30 and gives us $40, then the $10 would be considered a donation).
Q: Is LHS willing to meet with the Neighborhood about their concerns?
A: Yes, we secured a meeting to be held April 3rd from 7-9pm at Bart Petticord Community Center.
Q: What is the projected time frame?
A: Aug 2015 is the goal start date. This date will depend on funding as LHS will not build the property until 100% of the funds to build and maintain the property are secured.
Q: What is the budget for this project?
A: The following is building cost per phase to build, furnish and landscape:
|
PHASE
|
CONDITIONED AREA
|
AREA PER PHASE
|
PERCENT
|
EST. COST
|
COST PER PHASE
|
Estimated Build Time
|
| Phase 1 |
6,758
|
sq ft
|
6,758
|
sq ft
|
0.67
|
$2,671,100
|
$2,671,100
|
9 mo
|
| Phase 2 |
10,120
|
sq ft
|
3,362
|
sq ft
|
1.00
|
$4,000,000
|
$1,328,900
|
6 mo
|
| Phase 3 |
14,200
|
sq ft
|
4,080
|
sq ft
|
1.40
|
$5,612,600
|
$1,612,600
|
6 mo
|
