Pitt Meadows residents who blame a home-based dog grooming business for barking pooches, an increase in traffic and dogs defecating on their lawns are petitioning the city to shut it down.
Pawsitively Paradise Dog Grooming began running afoul of neighbours last September soon after it relocated from a mall to a cul-de-sac with six homes on McMyn Avenue.
Renia Fisher, who presented city council with a petition from 24 homeowners on her street on Tuesday, claims the business has been a nuisance from the start.
Fisher and her neighbours voiced their concerns about to the woman who owns the grooming business, but say their concerns were curtly dismissed.
After contacting the city and finding their complaint was not adequately addressed, two neighbours set out to gather signatures for a petition.
“We are not trying to anger anybody,” said Fisher.
She has proposed the city adopted a “home-based business questionnaire,” currently used by New Westminster, which is filled out by nearby residents before a license is granted.
Fisher said neighbours only learned about the dog grooming business after it opened and clients began clogging the cul-de-sac with their cars, sometimes even parking on her lawn.
Another neighbour, however, feels differently about the business and emailed council to voice her support for it.
In an email, Jen Obermeyer wrote the woman who owns Pawsitively Paradise has been affected by the animosity.
“I am appalled that the neighbours would go to such lengths to try and oust someone from this neighbourhood,” she said.
The city, too, found no issues with the dog grooming business after visits by the bylaw department, including one from the RCMP to monitor traffic.
“There is absolutely no reason to pull this woman’s business license. She is following all the rules and regulations of our bylaws,” said Mayor Deb Walters.
“She has only been operating for three or four months. Businesses have to go through growing pains and if we are going to be good neighbours, let’s work together and resolve any problems.”