Coeur d'Alene, ID Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Veterinary Office
- Small domestic animals, incidental boarding, primarily indoors
- Veterinary Hospital
- Large farm animals, substantial outdoor area
- C-17 district
- Office permitted; hospital by special use permit
- LM and M districts
- Hospital permitted; office or clinic by special use permit
- DO-N and DO-E overlays
- Only veterinary office allowed; other veterinary activities prohibited
- Office parking
- 1 space per 330 square feet of floor area
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and 180 days, per day
Summary
In the City of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, zoning splits veterinary use into two activity types. A Veterinary Office treats small domestic animals such as cats, dogs and rabbits with incidental boarding. A Veterinary Hospital treats large farm animals such as horses, cows, sheep, goats and pigs. Each zoning district then decides which type is permitted outright, needs a special use permit, or is banned.
C. Veterinary Activities: Activities that include the provision of animal care, treatment and boarding services, but excluding the boarding of horses or cattle, typically performed by animal clinics, hospitals and kennels, as follows: 1. Veterinary Office: Activities that include the provision of health care for small domestic animals (such as cats, dogs and rabbits), with incidental boarding services. Such activities are typical of small animal clinics and hospitals, facilities for which are primarily indoors. 2. Veterinary Hospital: Activities that include the provision of health care and boarding services for large farm animals (such as horses, cows, sheep, goats and pigs). Facilities for this type of activity generally require substantial outdoor area.
Full Breakdown
Coeur d'Alene Municipal Code § 17.03.060(C) defines veterinary activities as animal care, treatment and boarding services, excluding the boarding of horses or cattle. The definition has two branches. A Veterinary Office serves small domestic animals, carries only incidental boarding, and is described as a small animal clinic or hospital whose facilities are primarily indoors. A Veterinary Hospital serves large farm animals and requires substantial outdoor area. The animals treated decide the category, not the name on the sign.
The district use lists in Chapter 17.05 then sort each type. In the C-17 district, a veterinary office is a principal permitted use under § 17.05.500, while a veterinary hospital needs a special use permit under § 17.05.520. In the C-17L district, § 17.05.600 lists a veterinary office or clinic when completely indoors as a special use permit use. In the LM district, a veterinary hospital is a principal permitted use under § 17.05.740, and a veterinary office or clinic needs a special use permit under § 17.05.760. The M district follows the same split: hospital as a principal permitted use under § 17.05.820, office or clinic by special use permit under § 17.05.840. In a commercial business park, § 17.07.620 lists a veterinary office as a special use permit use.
The downtown infill overlays are stricter. Section 17.07.915(C) expressly prohibits, in the DO-N and DO-E overlay districts, all veterinary activities and commercial kennels other than veterinary office. Parking is set in § 17.44.070: a veterinary office needs 1 space for every 330 square feet of floor area. Kennels are a separate use. Section 17.02.075 defines a commercial kennel as an establishment primarily offering boarding, training and/or breeding services and the associated sale of dogs, with the exclusion of veterinary hospitals.
A special use permit is a discretionary approval from the City of Coeur d'Alene, so an applicant in C-17L, LM, M or a commercial business park has no guaranteed right to open a clinic there.
Violations & Fines
Under § 17.09.825, anyone who violates the zoning ordinance is guilty of a misdemeanor as provided in § 1.28.010, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense. Section 1.28.010 sets a fine of not more than $1,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both. Section 17.09.820 declares an unlawful use a public nuisance subject to a stop work order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a small animal clinic in the C-17 district in Coeur d'Alene?
Where does the City of Coeur d'Alene allow a large animal veterinary hospital?
Are veterinary clinics allowed in the downtown overlay districts?
Is a dog boarding kennel treated as a veterinary use?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coeur d'Alene
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