Oct 31, 2002 By Amy Karpinsky 3 min read

The shelter that is contracted to handle animal control for 31 of Fayette County’s municipalities was granted a use variance Wednesday by the Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board that will give the organization a permanent home. Noah’s Ark of Fayette County Humane and Animal Protection Society was granted the variance for the headquarters and an animal shelter. The location of the shelter is at 137 Atlas Crossing Rd. in North Union Township. The building the shelter is renting is owned by REC Development of Connellsville and is on property zoned M-1, light industrial.

Noah’s Ark board president George Milne explained that the site includes 4.7 acres that will be used as a permanent headquarters, office and animal shelter. He said the non-profit organization began operations in May when the Fayette County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) closed its doors. He said Noah’s Ark previously had a temporary site.

Milne said the organization provides humane officers that are given limited police powers to cite individuals for inhumane treatment of animals. He said the county swears in the officers. He said animals that are put down are given injections. In response to a question, Milne said the nearest structure is a mobile home that is about 150 feet away.

In response to a concern by Mark Morrison about disposal of animal carcasses, executive director Robin Moore said the remains of euthanized animals are taken by CBF landfill. She said the hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and the shelter is closed on Sunday.

Moore said the shelter, which handles adoptions, hasn’t had a problem with odors or noises and noted that the animals are kept inside and the inside is cleaned with Clorox and other detergents.

The motion to grant the use variance was approved with Morrison and Charles Cieszynski voting in favor of it.

In old business, the ZHB voted to recognize a non-conforming use, a recycling center/composting facility, on property owned by Anna M. and Rodney F. Allen in Bullskin Township. The facility is located on property zoned A-1, agricultural rural near Connellsville.

The motion was approved after the ZHB received a copy of an agreement for the state Department of Environmental Protection regarding the site. During the September hearing, Rodney Allen testified the property has been used for recycling and as a landfill since at least 1964.

The board voted to deny a request for a variance from minimum lot size width and setback requirements on property in North Union Township owned by George E. Martin. The original hearing date of Aug. 28 was postponed until Oct. 16, when the petitioner failed to appear.