Valdez Planning & Zoning Commission Special Meeting – August 19, 2026
Valdez Planning & Zoning Commission Special Meeting – August 19, 2026
The Valdez Planning and Zoning Commission held a special meeting on August 19, 2026, at 5:00 PM to consider a kennel license application for Wags & Whiskers Grooming. Commissioners Raditic, Wade, and Hayes were present, with Commissioner Moulton participating by phone. Commissioners Fegelbert, Metroca, and Goodrow were excused. After a public hearing and discussion, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend issuance of the license to the Chief of Police.
Public Hearing: Kennel License Application for Wags & Whiskers Grooming
- Mike Clepper (Animal Control Officer) reported that the inspection of the facility at 104 Chenega Ave. met all standards, including separate areas for large and small dogs, a bathing area, and a grooming room away from public view. He noted that the applicant had proactively completed all requirements and that Valdez currently has no licensed groomers, receiving 2–3 calls per week from residents seeking groomer referrals. He expressed full support for the application.
- Steve Weeks, a previous customer of the applicant, testified that she provides excellent service and that the community needs a local groomer. He described positive personal experiences with her animal care.
- No other members of the public spoke for or against the application.
Discussion & Deliberation
- Commissioner Wade moved to approve the recommendation, seconded by Commissioner Raditic.
- Staff confirmed that no additional public comments had been received since the agenda was published.
- The Chair expressed a brief concern that the rushed timeline might appear to be “sneaking something in,” but noted the absence of any opposition and the applicant’s deadline, and stated he was “happy to work with people who have deadlines.”
- Commissioner Hayes asked about potential noise conflicts with adjacent residences; staff clarified that any complaints would be handled by the Animal Control Officer and Chief of Police under existing code provisions, and that the use is comparable to a veterinary office—a permitted use in the Central Business District where the property is located.
- Commissioner Moulton had no objections.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to recommend issuance of the kennel license for Wags & Whiskers Grooming passed 4–0 (Commissioners Raditic, Wade, Hayes, and Moulton in favor; none opposed).
- The recommendation will be forwarded to the Chief of Police, who will review the inspection report and the Commission’s recommendation before making a final decision on the license.
- The meeting adjourned following the vote.
Meeting Transcript
All right. I'd like to call this meeting of the Valley's Planning and Zoning Commission for Wednesday, August 19th to order. Let the record show that Commissioners Raditic Wade and Hayes are in the room and Commissioner Moulton is on the phone. And we have Commissioners Fegelbert, Metroca, and Goodrow excused. First item is public business from the floor. Did anyone come here to address us on a non-agenda item? All right. Moving on. Public hearing number one. Public hearing for Kenneth license application from Wags and Whiskers Grooming. Did anyone come to address us on this? If so, please come to the mic, push the button so the red lights on and give it to give us your name. Yeah, so just for the commission, we've got both the applicant and the animal, the chief animal control officer, Mike Clepper in the room and ready for any questions that you might have during your discussion, the next agenda item. If if you have something to say, you're welcome to now. Otherwise, if you want to come up during our discussion, we can ask questions and get back and forth. This is a time for you to talk to us and we just listen. Yeah, this is for the public. Well, I'm not afraid to come up and talk. Um so I went over and I did my inspection on the building that uh she's going to uh use for the grooming salon. Um everything uh meets the standards that uh we have established. She had a um areas to keep the animals in, both uh large area for large dogs and a smaller area for smaller dogs. She has a separate area to uh bathe them in. She has a um room where she's going to take the animals back to to do the grooming so they're out of the public's eye. Um if the owners are standing by or some other person standing by. She has the proper cleaning uh supplies. She has a book to keep all of the um certifications as far as uh for vaccination records and licensing. Um she has met every um everything that is needed. Furthermore, she has done um she had done all these things basically on her own without me even uh telling her what she needed. She already had all the things, so she uh looked into it, uh reviewed and uh researched what she needed. So I think it's a good um good idea. Plus, the other part of this is we have no licensed groomers in the um town. Um we desperately need them. I get called probably two to three times a week, people asking me for uh name of a groomer. I have to tell them we don't have anyone licensed. Um so it's definitely a business that we do need in town um for uh dogs that do have to be groomed. Do you guys have any questions? Anyone should probably save them for your discussion, actually. Because this is we're still in the public hearing, so let's save that. All right. Anyone else? For or against quick. We want to hear it all. As a previous customer of five steps. Can you press the button so red light comes up? Yeah, sorry. Say your name. Yeah. Steve Weeks, uh, just as a customer of hers in the past, she does an excellent job. And it is a real like Mike said, it's it's service we need. Um, you know, we spend a lot of time with the dog park, and we're always seeing other people there.
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