Alpharetta Animal Hospital move gets 7–0 backing—and revised terms

Alpharetta Animal Hospital’s proposed move from Milton Avenue to Marietta Street won a 7–0 Planning Commission recommendation on Nov. 5—but commissioners rewrote two of staff’s proposed conditions.⁠[1]

That is a recommendation, not permission to relocate. City Council’s public hearing on CU-26-13 is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall council chambers, 2 Park Plaza.⁠[1][2]

Alpha Dogs Veterinary, LLC proposes buying the practice and moving it from 80 Milton Avenue into an existing 6,084-square-foot building on 0.84 acres at 41 Marietta Street. The request seeks conditional-use permission for a small-animal hospital on the commercially zoned downtown property.⁠[1][2]

Since our earlier report on staff’s recommendation, the restriction tying approval specifically to Alpharetta Animal Hospital has changed. The commission’s revised condition instead says approval would be limited to “Animal Hospital” and narrows a blanket subleasing ban to subleasing for non-animal-hospital uses. It still prohibits additional small-animal-hospital businesses in the approved space.⁠[1][3]

The second change concerns future Marietta Street streetscape improvements. Staff had proposed requiring at least a 10-foot easement or a land dedication before a business license could be issued. Commissioners instead recommended a 10-foot easement. The provision returning the easement or land to the owner if improvements are not built on the property by Nov. 16, 2036 remains.⁠[1][3]

The recommendation also retains a condition linking the two hospital sites: before the new location receives a business license, its property owner would have to provide a letter from the owner of 80 Milton Avenue relinquishing animal-hospital and kennel uses there.⁠[1]

Other recommended conditions would prohibit boarding and pet daycare, limit overnight stays to pets under observation after surgery or procedures, and require noise-reducing interior improvements. A rear pet-relief area would be required, with no animals left unattended.⁠[1]