Pearland, TX Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Defined use
- UDC Ch. 5, Definition (410), Pet and Animal Grooming Shop
- Governing table
- UDC § 2.5.2.2, Commercial & Related Service Uses category
- Zoning status
- Permitted by right in some districts, CUP required in others
- Distinct from
- Definition (409) Pet Care Facility/Animal Kennel; excludes vet clinics
- CUP approval
- Planning & Zoning Commission recommends, City Council approves
Summary
Pearland's Unified Development Code defines a 'Pet and Animal Grooming Shop' as its own listed use and places it in the Non-Residential Land Use Matrix's Commercial & Related Service Uses category. Depending on the zoning district, the matrix marks grooming shops either 'P,' permitted by right, or 'C,' requiring a discretionary Conditional Use Permit, so approval requirements shift with the site's district.
(410) PET AND ANIMAL GROOMING SHOP: An establishment offering grooming services for dogs, cats, and similar animals. (409) PET CARE FACILITY/ANIMAL KENNEL: A commercial establishment in which dogs or other domesticated (pet) animals are housed, groomed, bred, boarded, trained, sold, or provided other health and well-being related services, for a fee or compensation. ... This term does not include a veterinary clinic. ... The legend for interpreting the permitted uses in the Land Use Matrices ... is: P The land use is permitted by right in the zoning district indicated. ... C The land use may be approved as a conditional use (CUP) in the zoning district indicated.
Full Breakdown
' The neighboring Definition (409), 'Pet Care Facility/Animal Kennel,' covers the broader business of housing, breeding, boarding, or training animals for a fee and explicitly states that term 'does not include a veterinary clinic,' so grooming, boarding-kennel and veterinary uses are each tracked separately in the code even though they sit side by side in the definitions chapter. ' The published row for grooming shops carries both letters, meaning the use is permitted outright in some of Pearland's commercial districts while other districts on the same table require a property owner to first secure a Conditional Use Permit through Planning & Zoning Commission review and City Council approval before opening.
Because the matrix is organized by district column, confirm the current matrix entry for a specific parcel's zoning district before signing a lease, since the same use can be by-right in one commercial district and conditional in another.
Violations & Fines
Opening or operating a grooming shop in a district where the matrix marks the use 'C' without first obtaining a Conditional Use Permit is enforceable the same way as any other unauthorized UDC use: Chapter 1 §§ 1.2.6.1 and 1.2.6.3 let Planning, Code Enforcement and Building Inspections staff issue municipal court citations and let the City move to terminate utility service or revoke permits, while § 1.2.6.4 authorizes a written stop-work order that the owner can appeal within five working days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pearland require a special permit to open a pet grooming shop?
Is a grooming shop the same use as a pet boarding kennel under Pearland's code?
What happens if a grooming shop opens in a district requiring a Conditional Use Permit but never applies?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pearland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Pearland to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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