Conditional Use Permit Granted for Dog Grooming Salon

A public hearing was held by the Village of Lomira Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday, January 28, for residents to ask questions about and comment on granting a conditional use permit to Elizabeth Griesbach to operate a dog grooming salon at 713 Railroad Avenue.

“Some groomers board. Some don’t. Are there no overnight stays?” asked one neighboring resident.

“It’s just strictly grooming. I do have a 30-minute pickup window after the dog is done being groomed,” explained Griesbach. “Usually a groom takes two to three hours for a full haircut and everything, so they will be out of there in that period of time.”

Griesbach later added that grooming is by appointment only, and hours of operation would be no later than 7 p.m. on select days, but would usually end by 5 p.m. Dogs will also be required to be leashed, and proof of vaccination must be provided at the time of their appointment.

Along with village residents, commission members also asked questions during the public hearing.

“I’m sure the answer is fairly obvious, but do you have a license for dog grooming?” asked Don Luedtke.

“I do have certification for it,” answered Griesbach. “The state of Wisconsin technically does not require any official license for it, but I do have a certification. I’ve been grooming for 10 years professionally.”

Griesbach further explained that she has served as the manager of multiple grooming salon locations.

Rick Pribnow continued the commission members’ questions, asking, “What kind of insurance do you have to carry?”

“It’s non-veterinary animal insurance. There’s a specific type of insurance just for vets. Then, there’s a different one that is just for boarding and grooming,” stated Griesbach. “It’s full liability, so [it covers] any sort of injury to the dog or injury to another person while in the shop.”

Inquiries about parking also arose during the public hearing. There are 21 parking spaces across the street from the potential salon location.

“What does the village have for patrons for parking across the street? Is it first-come, first-served?” Peter Kuen asked Director of Public Works Nick Roskopf.

“Unfortunately, since I’ve been here, there hasn’t been a demand. As far as I know, it is first-come, first-served,” responded Roskopf. “I haven’t seen any documentation that states someone is allotted X amount of parking. There are hours, though, when it comes to winter parking.”

After the public hearing adjourned, the commission met and discussed granting the conditional use permit for a dog grooming salon at 713 Railroad Avenue.

A motion to grant the permit to Elizabeth Griesbach was made by Tony Schraufnagel and passed 6-0. Jim Koenigs was absent from the meeting.

Commission Matters:
• The commission discussed recommending that the county approve the extraterritorial land division request for W644 Highway 67 in the Town of Lomira. The request was brought to the Village of Lomira Planning Commission because the property is located within two miles of the village. The motion to recommend approving the land division request was made by Joey Jewell and passed unanimously.