We Need Your Help!

PLEASE, HELP ME SAVE MY BUSINESS!

UPDATE: THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE HAS WRITTEN US TO SAY THAT WE ARE A LEGAL BUSINESS, THEY NOW AGREE WITH OUR LEGAL REASONING, AND OUR FIGHT WITH THE CITY IS OVER. WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS WE HAVE. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND LETTERS! WE COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP.

******************************

HERE IS WHAT THE DISPUTE WITH THE CITY WAS ALL ABOUT...

We desperately need your help... and you could prevent the loss of a top quality doggie daycare in the Phoenix metropolitan area. You can help me save my business. Don't let the city of Scottsdale put us out of business. Let me explain, then I'll tell you how you can help...

I spent seven months looking for the right spot to open a doggie daycare and boarding facility, finally locating an appropriate property with a building that could house indoor playrooms along with a huge, 1/2 acre backyard play area, surrounded by commercial businesses such as a public storage facility and construction yard and further from any residential than even the Chaparral dog park.

The large yard was important as I feel strongly that dogs naturally enjoy being outside where they can socialize, interact with other dogs and humans, get needed exercise, and just smell the world around them. Dogs, just as humans, need and benefit from companionship, fresh air, and natural sunshine. They have a better state of mind as a result of naturally producing vitamin D, are more relaxed and satisfied. They need an appropriate amount of space to run and romp, getting adequate exercise in a healthy environment, as close to natural as we can safely do in an urban space.

Dogs are pack animals, learning much more from other dogs then they can from humans. If you were to watch animals that run in packs, you would find very little, if any, of the problems or compulsive behaviors that we see in our companion dog. And, since opening, we have seen many of these problems being corrected in the dogs attending our facility.

As a veterinarian touring the facility stated,

"With the physical layout (especially the huge play yards) and knowledgeable staff at PAWS to PLAY!, probably 90% of the behavioral problems we get calls on would be eliminated by bringing the dog to a facility such as this."

As stated on the Scottsdale website, "The City's Zoning Ordinance is over 35 years old and has been revised periodically over time. Due to its age, there are many uses that are not mentioned in the ordinance and some uses are obsolete. Some of the changes made in the past were not comprehensive, leaving parts of the ordinance confusing. To help in the fair and consistent implementation of these areas, the city has issued many Zoning Interpretations over the years. By code, zoning interpretations can be made by the Zoning Administrator or designee." (Doggie daycare did not exist even 10 years ago, let alone even 35.)

Based on that, in September of 2005, I met with Drake Vigil, a planner (the City's designee), from Zoning Interpretations that stated this property an acceptable and appropriate use for this business. I applied and paid for my business license which I received. I signed a long-term lease and invested everything I had into this venture.

I opened for business in January 2006. On June 2, 2006, I received a NOTICE OF VIOLATION, which basically stated that my business "did not fit under the use regulations and that I had 30 days to relocate to C-3 or successfully rezone to C-3 (which they admitted was impossible)".

So, from being an approved, legal business for over eight months, I'm told the City Designee made an error, this is now no longer a legal business, and I have to fix it.

I then spoke with various Zoning and Planning officials requesting the original interpretation and approval be acknowledged, allowing me to simply continue running my business as it was: this was refused. I was then told the only option I have is to apply for a conditional use permit that has a $2,149.00 fee (after paying $73.00 for the pre-application fee for approval to apply), along with thousands of dollars more in expenses needed to satisfy all the requirements, with no guarantee that I will be allowed to stay in business when this process is over. Had I been given any indication when I first met with the City's planner (their designee) in Zoning Interpretations, I would have had the option to decide not to open a business in Scottsdale or budget in the additional expenses now required (which at this time will be a serious financial hardship for me).

I am just a 55 year-old single woman trying to run a small, locally owned business, not some huge corporation with the deep pockets needed to fight this. I live in, pay taxes to, and support this community.

It is estimated that $38.4 billion will be spent on our pets in the United States in 2006. There are 73.9 million dogs in 43.5 million households. Nationally, doggie daycare has grown to a $500 million-a-year industry. In Scottsdale, there are more dogs than there are children. For the pet-parents trying to overcome the guilt of having latchkey Lassies, doggie daycares have become one of the hottest trends in the pet services industry. Offered in various places such as veterinary offices, pet retail stores, pet resorts, and stand-alone businesses, the doggie daycare provides a place for Fido to go during the day while Mom and Dad are at work. This service benefits the owner who becomes tired of coming home to a destroyed house, a dug-up yard, or a nuisance barking citation, and a dog longing for playtime, exercise, and interaction. Overall, the pet industry continues to boom, and forecasters see no signs of that slowing.

With my desire to become one of Scottsdale's, if not Arizona's, industry leaders, I feel strongly about creating and maintaining a standard of quality that assists neighbors, dogs and their owners to co-habitate in the same community. It is imperative, as Scottsdale continues to be distinguished as an open-minded and leading canine-friendly community that we establish standards that will serve as a foundation and a guide for future dog-related industries.

It is important to point out that Scottsdale is not the only city being forced to deal with the questions doggy daycare creates; cities across the country are having to address them.

PAWS to PLAY! Doggie Daycare strives to be more than a vibrant and successful small business in South Scottsdale. It also plans to be a positive member of the community and neighborhood. It is our mission to offer services and programs that benefit both our clients (human and canine) and the community is which we are located. We want to offer a safe, secure, and supervised, as well as enriching, environment for the dogs of our community!

YOU CAN HELP ME SAVE MY BUSINESS

Please write me a letter of support that I can submit to the City Council at my hearing and ask all your friends to do the same.

Mail it to: PAWS to PLAY, 7312 E Thomas Rd, Scottsdale AZ 85251
or email it to: PawsToPlayAZ@cs.com

Attend the Informational Meeting at the facility on September 21 at 6:00 pm or come by for a tour.

Check our website at www.PawsToPlay.net for updates and more information..

Questions? Call me, Dawn Kamp, at 480-966-9267

PLEASE USE OUR SERVICES as this process, along with the possibility of having to hire an attorney will cost me a minimum of $20,000, which I do not have.

If you would like to try our daycare, boarding, grooming, training or behavioral center before writing the letter I would like to offer you a 10% discount on your first service. (This offer for new clients only and good only through the date of our City Council hearing). Just mention this offer when you come in for your first appointment.

Thank you so much,

Dawn Kamp
Owner,
PAWS to PLAY! Doggie Daycare

PLEASE, HELP ME SAVE MY BUSINESS!
UPDATE: THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE HAS WRITTEN US TO SAY THAT WE ARE A LEGAL BUSINESS, THEY NOW AGREE WITH OUR LEGAL REASONING, AND OUR FIGHT WITH THE CITY IS OVER. WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS WE HAVE. WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND LETTERS! WE COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP. **************************** HERE IS WHAT THE DISPUTE WITH THE CITY WAS ALL ABOUT... We desperately need your help... and you could prevent the loss of a top quality doggie daycare in the Phoenix metropolitan area. You can help me save my business. Don't let the city of Scottsdale put us out of business. Let me explain, then I'll tell you how you can help... I spent seven months looking for the right spot to open a doggie daycare and boarding facility, finally locating an appropriate property with a building that could house indoor playrooms along with a huge, 1/2 acre backyard play area, surrounded by commercial businesses such as a public storage facility and construction yard and further from any residential than even the Chaparral dog park. The large yard was important as I feel strongly that dogs naturally enjoy being outside where they can socialize, interact with other dogs and humans, get needed exercise, and just smell the world around them. Dogs, just as humans, need and benefit from companionship, fresh air, and natural sunshine. They have a better state of mind as a result of naturally producing vitamin D, are more relaxed and satisfied. They need an appropriate amount of space to run and romp, getting adequate exercise in a healthy environment, as close to natural as we can safely do in an urban space. Dogs are pack animals, learning much more from other dogs then they can from humans. If you were to watch animals that run in packs, you would find very little, if any, of the problems or compulsive behaviors that we see in our companion dog. And, since opening, we have seen many of these problems being corrected in the dogs attending our facility. As a veterinarian touring the facility stated, "With the physical layout (especially the huge play yards) and knowledgeable staff at PAWS to PLAY!, probably 90% of the behavioral problems we get calls on would be eliminated by bringing the dog to a facility such as this." As stated on the Scottsdale website, "The City's Zoning Ordinance is over 35 years old and has been revised periodically over time. Due to its age, there are many uses that are not mentioned in the ordinance and some uses are obsolete. Some of the changes made in the past were not comprehensive, leaving parts of the ordinance confusing. To help in the fair and consistent implementation of these areas, the city has issued many Zoning Interpretations over the years. By code, zoning interpretations can be made by the Zoning Administrator or designee." (Doggie daycare did not exist even 10 years ago, let alone even 35.) Based on that, in September of 2005, I met with Drake Vigil, a planner (the City's designee), from Zoning Interpretations that stated this property an acceptable and appropriate use for this business. I applied and paid for my business license which I received. I signed a long-term lease and invested everything I had into this venture. I opened for business in January 2006. On June 2, 2006, I received a NOTICE OF VIOLATION, which basically stated that my business "did not fit under the use regulations and that I had 30 days to relocate to C-3 or successfully rezone to C-3 (which they admitted was impossible)". So, from being an approved, legal business for over eight months, I'm told the City Designee made an error, this is now no longer a legal business, and I have to fix it. I then spoke with various Zoning and Planning officials requesting the original interpretation and approval be acknowledged, allowing me to simply continue running my business as it was: this was refused. I was then told the only option I have is to apply for a conditional use permit that has a $2,149.00 fee (after paying $73.00 for the pre-application fee for approval to apply), along with thousands of dollars more in expenses needed to satisfy all the requirements, with no guarantee that I will be allowed to stay in business when this process is over. Had I been given any indication when I first met with the City's planner (their designee) in Zoning Interpretations, I would have had the option to decide not to open a business in Scottsdale or budget in the additional expenses now required (which at this time will be a serious financial hardship for me). I am just a 55 year-old single woman trying to run a small, locally owned business, not some huge corporation with the deep pockets needed to fight this. I live in, pay taxes to, and support this community. It is estimated that $38.4 billion will be spent on our pets in the United States in 2006. There are 73.9 million dogs in 43.5 million households. Nationally, doggie daycare has grown to a $500 million-a-year industry. In Scottsdale, there are more dogs than there are children. For the pet-parents trying to overcome the guilt of having latchkey Lassies, doggie daycares have become one of the hottest trends in the pet services industry. Offered in various places such as veterinary offices, pet retail stores, pet resorts, and stand-alone businesses, the doggie daycare provides a place for Fido to go during the day while Mom and Dad are at work. This service benefits the owner who becomes tired of coming home to a destroyed house, a dug-up yard, or a nuisance barking citation, and a dog longing for playtime, exercise, and interaction. Overall, the pet industry continues to boom, and forecasters see no signs of that slowing. With my desire to become one of Scottsdale's, if not Arizona's, industry leaders, I feel strongly about creating and maintaining a standard of quality that assists neighbors, dogs and their owners to co-habitate in the same community. It is imperative, as Scottsdale continues to be distinguished as an open-minded and leading canine-friendly community that we establish standards that will serve as a foundation and a guide for future dog-related industries. It is important to point out that Scottsdale is not the only city being forced to deal with the questions doggy daycare creates; cities across the country are having to address them. PAWS to PLAY! Doggie Daycare strives to be more than a vibrant and successful small business in South Scottsdale. It also plans to be a positive member of the community and neighborhood. It is our mission to offer services and programs that benefit both our clients (human and canine) and the community is which we are located. We want to offer a safe, secure, and supervised, as well as enriching, environment for the dogs of our community! YOU CAN HELP ME SAVE MY BUSINESS Please write me a letter of support that I can submit to the City Council at my hearing and ask all your friends to do the same. Mail it to: PAWS to PLAY, 7312 E Thomas Rd, Scottsdale AZ 85251 or email it to: PawsToPlayAZ@cs.com Attend the Informational Meeting at the facility on September 21 at 6:00 pm or come by for a tour. Check our website at www.PawsToPlay.net for updates and more information.. Questions? Call me, Dawn Kamp, at 480-966-9267 PLEASE USE OUR SERVICES as this process, along with the possibility of having to hire an attorney will cost me a minimum of $20,000, which I do not have. If you would like to try our daycare, boarding, grooming, training or behavioral center before writing the letter I would like to offer you a 10% discount on your first service.** (This offer for new clients only and good only through the date of our City Council hearing). Just mention this offer when you come in for your first appointment. Thank you so much, Dawn Kamp Owner, PAWS to PLAY! Doggie Daycare