The West New York Zoning Board of Adjustment approved plans for a new town animal shelter at Thursday’s meeting, the first of its kind in North Hudson in at least several decades.
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The New Jersey Humane Society, a non-profit organization, was in front of the zoning board for site plan and variance approval. The facility, located at 6410-6412 Dewey Ave., would serve as a no-kill animal shelter in a mixed-use building.
Under their current contract with their landlord, NJHS would operate as a tenant for 10 years before having the option to purchase the property.
Geoff Santini, the president of NJHS, provided testimony in the matter, as did the project attorney, J. Alvaro Alonso, and project architect Grace Lynch.
Santini is the animal cruelty investigator in West New York and North Bergen and played a role in cleaning up two animal hoarding houses in each municipality recently.
Board Chairman Kenneth Blane repeatedly asked for reassurance that the facility would have the appropriate sound proofing necessary to keep the current quality of life in tact for nearby residents.
Santini testified that the shelter has “a disease control program installed†and “is as clean as a military boot camp,†later adding that phase I will revolve around the outdoor construction of the facility’s dog park – which he hopes will only take three months to complete.
Lynch also argued that the facility would be a huge convenience for North Hudson residents that walk or take public transportation and that up to17 dogs could be sheltered there upon the completion of phase I.
After about an hour of discussion, the board unanimously approved the resolution by a vote of 7-0, with Lynch and Santini providing further details in an interview with Hudson County View.
The pair also thanked the zoning board and the board of commissioners for their support in the endeavor, with Santini giving special shout out to Revenue and Finance Commissioner Sue Colacurcio.