Doña Ana County, NM Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Use classification
- Civic Support (Table 5.1)
- T4 zone parking cap
- 30 parking spaces maximum
- Governing tables
- UDC Table 5.1 and Table 5.2
- SUP review timeline
- 21-day objection window
- Some zones need SUP
- Marked 'S' in Table 5.1
Summary
Veterinary clinics, animal hospitals and kennels are classified as "Civic Support" uses in the County's Unified Development Code zoning matrix. Table 5.1 permits the use by right in some zoning districts, requires a special use permit in others, and treats it as a conditional use capped at 30 parking spaces in the T4 General Neighborhood zone.
Legend P Permitted C Conditional uses, see Table 5.2 S Special use permit ... Civic Support Animal hospital, veterinary clinic, kennel, agricultural office, and training and medical research ... Table 5.2 Conditions for Transect Zones Use District T4 ... Civic support 30 parking spaces maximum
Full Breakdown
1, "Land Use Classification Matrix: Zoning Districts," under § 350-501. 2), and "S" (Special use permit). Across the County's 21 zoning districts, from the T2 Rural transect zone through the D1-D3 residential use zones to the C1-C3 commercial and I1-I3 industrial zones, the veterinary/kennel row carries all three markers, so treatment depends on which district a parcel sits in. " Where the matrix marks "S," the operator must obtain a special use permit under § 350-204: the Zoning Administrator can approve an SUP administratively if no written objections arrive within 21 days of notice, otherwise the application goes to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a public hearing, with any denial appealable under § 350-216.
A veterinary use marked "P" needs no discretionary approval, just a standard building permit and compliance with the site standards of whatever zone applies. Because kennels are grouped with animal hospitals and veterinary clinics in the same matrix row, a boarding kennel receives identical zoning treatment to a full veterinary hospital under this table.
Violations & Fines
Operating a veterinary clinic, animal hospital or kennel in a zoning district where the matrix marks the use "S" without first securing a special use permit under § 350-204 is a zoning violation, enforceable by the Zoning Administrator, and the SUP process can require correcting existing code violations before a hearing is scheduled. In the T4 zone, exceeding the 30-space parking cap set for the conditional "Civic Support" use puts the site out of compliance with Table 5.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a veterinary clinic anywhere in unincorporated Doña Ana County?
Does a boarding kennel need a different permit than a veterinary hospital?
What happens if my veterinary use needs a special use permit?
Is there a parking limit for veterinary uses in the T4 zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Doña Ana County
Compare Doña Ana County to another location·View the New Mexico animal ordinances overview
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