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Haverford, PA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified October 2026

Key Facts

District
C-4 Highway Commercial District
Approval path
Use by right
Buffer
Buildings and runs not within 150 feet of residentially zoned lots
Minimum lot size
10,000 square feet
Maximum fine
$600 plus costs, each day a separate offense
Appeal deadline
30 days to the Zoning Hearing Board

Summary

In Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, an office of a veterinarian, a veterinary hospital and a kennel are permitted by right only in the C-4 Highway Commercial District. The buildings and runs cannot sit within 150 feet of any lot zoned for residential use. The Zoning Officer enforces the rule, and the Zoning Hearing Board hears appeals.

(1) Uses by right. ... In any C-4 District, land, building or premises shall be used by right for one or more of the following: ... (f) Office of a veterinarian, veterinary hospital and kennel, provided that buildings and runs are not within 150 feet of any lot zoned for residential use.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Haverford Township Code § 182-405 sets up the C-4 Highway Commercial District for commercial activities oriented to automotive use and traffic. Subsection B(1)(f) lists the office of a veterinarian, veterinary hospital and kennel among the uses by right, alongside automobile repair shops, wholesale business establishments, dental and medical laboratories, exterminators and beverage distributors. The condition is distance: buildings and runs must stay out of the 150 feet around any lot zoned for residential use. The test turns on the zoning of the neighboring lot, not on whether a house stands on it. The Code defines a veterinary hospital as a structure designed or converted for the care and treatment of sick or wounded domestic animals.

A C-4 veterinary site also has to meet the district's area and bulk numbers: a 10,000 square foot minimum lot size, 75 feet of street frontage, building coverage of 30% maximum, a 25 foot front yard, side yards of 20 feet each, a 25 foot rear yard, height of 45 feet or three stories, and an impervious surface ratio of 80% maximum. Off-street parking follows § 182-707, loading follows § 182-708, and the performance and design standards of §§ 182-717 and 182-718 apply. Section 182-717 covers C-4 among its districts and bars any vibration or noise at the property line greater than the average noise level occurring on adjacent streets, and it bars odorous emissions that are offensive on adjoining streets or adjacent lots. Those two limits matter for a kennel with outdoor runs.

The Zoning Officer administers the chapter. A person aggrieved by a Zoning Officer decision appeals directly to the Zoning Hearing Board within 30 days after notice of the decision is issued (§ 182-901C), and anyone can file a written and signed complaint about an alleged violation with the Zoning Officer (§ 182-901D). Haverford Township's zoning chapter names the veterinary use in the C-4 listing quoted here.

Violations & Fines

Running a veterinary hospital or kennel outside the C-4 District, or with buildings or runs inside the 150 foot buffer from residentially zoned lots, violates Chapter 182. The Zoning Officer notifies the responsible person in writing and orders the corrective action (§ 182-901E). On conviction before a District Justice, the violator pays a fine not exceeding $600 plus costs of prosecution, including attorney's fees, and each day of violation is a separate offense (§ 182-901H). The Board of Commissioners can also sue to restrain or abate the use (§ 182-901G).

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can a veterinary clinic or kennel locate in Haverford Township?
The Code lists the office of a veterinarian, veterinary hospital and kennel as a use by right in the C-4 Highway Commercial District under § 182-405B(1)(f). The condition is that buildings and runs are not within 150 feet of any lot zoned for residential use. The district's area and bulk limits apply to the site as well.
Does the 150 foot rule cover the whole property or only the buildings?
The text restricts buildings and runs, the structures that house or exercise animals. It measures against any lot zoned for residential use, whether or not a house stands on it. The subsection prints no separate measuring method, so an applicant confirms the zoning boundary with the Zoning Officer before designing the site.
What lot size does a C-4 veterinary site need?
Section 182-405C sets a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet and a minimum street frontage of 75 feet. Building coverage tops out at 30%, the impervious surface ratio at 80%, and height at 45 feet or three stories. Yards are 25 feet in front, 20 feet on each side and 25 feet in the rear.
What is the penalty for operating a kennel in the wrong place?
A person convicted before a District Justice pays a fine not exceeding $600 plus costs of prosecution, including attorney's fees. Each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense under § 182-901H. The Board of Commissioners, or the Zoning Officer with its approval, can also bring an action to stop the use.
How do I appeal a Zoning Officer decision about my animal facility?
Section 182-901C sends the appeal directly to the Haverford Township Zoning Hearing Board. The appeal must be made within 30 days after notice of the decision is issued or, if no decision is made, within 30 days after the date a decision is deemed to have been made under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.

Sources & Official References

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All Haverford rules

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