Clark County, IN Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Classification
- Special Use #6
- Approval body
- Board of Zoning Appeals
- Notice required
- Certified mail, 10 days
- Conditions allowed
- Parking, screening, yards, time limits
- Lapses
- If unused within 1 year
- Penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day
Summary
Clark County treats animal hospitals and kennels as a special use, Table S.U. item #6, meaning a site needs Board of Zoning Appeals approval on top of its base zoning before a vet clinic or kennel can open in unincorporated Clark County, under Code § 156.48(F).
(F) Limitations on special uses. Only those special uses that are indicated on Table S.U., following this section, shall be permitted in the zoning districts indicated by the table. ... List of Special Use Designations ... Animal hospitals and kennels 6
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2019 S-0: Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 31-2014, passed 12-18-2014).
Full Breakdown
are permitted, and only in the zoning districts the table allows; "Animal hospitals and kennels" is listed as Special Use #6. That means the use is never allowed simply because the underlying district is, say, agricultural or general business; it requires its own BZA sign-off. 48(C) requires the operator to file an application and site plan with the Plan Commission office, showing building and structure locations, access drives, parking, and required buffer landscaping. C. , with ten days' notice by certified mail to abutting property owners, and decides based on site appropriateness, effect on the surrounding area, nuisance or hazard risk to people and vehicles, adequacy of facilities, harmony with the County Plan, and public convenience and welfare.
48(C)(3), the BZA can attach conditions such as larger yards, added parking or screening, modified exterior design, lot-coverage limits, or a time limit. 48(D)(1) voids it if the use is abandoned for a year or never established within a year of approval, and (D)(2) bars converting it to any use other than the one approved.
Violations & Fines
Operating an animal hospital or kennel without the Special Use #6 designation, or in violation of BZA-imposed conditions, is a Chapter 156 violation. The Plan Commission can pursue a civil penalty up to $2,500 under § 156.99(A), with each day of continued violation a separate offense under § 156.99(B), and may seek an injunction to halt the operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a veterinary clinic or kennel anywhere in unincorporated Clark County?
What does the BZA look at before approving an animal hospital or kennel?
Can the county attach conditions to a kennel's special-use approval?
Does a special-use approval for a kennel expire?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clark County
Compare Clark County to another location·View the Indiana animal ordinances overview
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