A small commercial use change was approved by Arlington Town Meeting that may help Arlington’s Animal Care businesses.
Town Meeting voted 211 to 1 in favor of allowing Animal Day Care in the Industrial Zone.
During the lock-down period of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Arlington residents were forced to stay home. To remedy intense loneliness, many of our neighbors decided to welcome new pets into their homes. Now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted, people are going back into the office, leaving their pandemic pets at home. Many of these animals are unhappy and suffer being home alone, particularly dogs.
To the best of my knowledge, there exists in town only one animal daycare business – GoPlay!, in Brattle Square. GoPlay! Can offer this service because they are in the business zone and animal daycare is an allowed use in the business zone. However, GoPlay! has a small space with limited capacity and a long wait list for new dogs. Arlington is in need of animal daycare.
Robin from Robin’s Nest Dog Grooming wanted to expand her business a few years back, to offer doggie daycare. It would have required moving into a larger space and she found one in the Industrial Zone. But the use was not allowed in the Industrial Zone, so she was unable to grow her business.
Virginia from Pawtopia – another woman-owned local business, has already moved her business to Lexington where there are more abundant commercial space offerings.
Daria Pennesi, of Strut-n-pup, has been looking at spaces in Acton because she was not allowed to move into a space in the Industrial Zone on Dudley Street.
In a letter to Town Meeting Members, Daria Pannesi states,
“Arlington has become such a vibrant and diverse community over the years. I have seen the transformation firsthand and I love being a part of its fabric. So why is it that a small, local business with a proven track record, trained staff, and eager clientele have been pushed out from the community we service and live in?“
Daria has grown Strutnpup over the years. She now employs nearly 20 people and provides animal care services to over 300 area pooches. Daria would like to stay in Arlington. However, this particular use restriction is pushing her out of town!
This use restriction has had a negative impact on these women’s ability to grow their businesses. The lack of available space is forcing businesses out of Arlington. And, worse, it is negatively impacting the residents of Arlington by denying them local services that they want.
For doggie daycare, Arlington’s pooches are mostly sent to Crate Escape in Belmont. Or they are sent to Burlington, Lexington, or Woburn. Arlington’s residents should not have to travel outside of town to access animal daycare services!
Local businesses provide services, products, and jobs to the community, which makes Arlington a more vibrant town. Local businesses help to make Arlington a Town worth living in.
Arlington needs to better support our businesses through zoning. We cannot grow our commercial base in town and realize any level of economic development without space for businesses.
We have to do more to protect our existing and future businesses.
One small way that you can do that is by voting YES for article 31.