Springfield, MO Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- District
- HC – Highway Commercial
- Outdoor kennel activity
- Prohibited entirely
- Screening required
- 6-ft barrier near residential
- Residential buffer
- 25 feet minimum
- Waste removal
- Daily, required
Summary
Springfield's Highway Commercial (HC) zoning district allows veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, pet daycare and grooming facilities, and kennels, but bans outdoor kennel activity and requires 25-foot buffers plus six-foot screening near residential districts.
Veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, pet daycare services, pet grooming facilities, and kennels. No outside activities shall be permitted for kennels. Veterinary clinics... may have supervised outside activities... All outside activity spaces shall be fully enclosed and screened from adjacent residential uses, districts and all public rights-of-way with a six-foot tall barrier... No outside activity spaces shall be located within 25 feet of any residential use or district, and all animal waste shall be collected and disposed of on a daily basis.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 2 | Land Development Code: Supplement 9 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Springfield, Missouri's Land Development Code places veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, pet daycare, pet grooming and kennels in the Highway Commercial (HC) district under Sec. 36-422(2)(bbb), and a similar use is allowed in the Commercial Service (CS) district under Sec. 36-423. Kennels get no outdoor activity at all; clinics, hospitals, daycare and grooming operations may have supervised outdoor space only, fully enclosed and screened with a six-foot barrier, kept at least 25 feet from any residential use or district, with daily removal of animal waste. This is a Greene County, Missouri city ordinance, not a state or county rule.
Violations & Fines
Outdoor kennel activity, or an unenclosed outdoor space within 25 feet of a residential use or district, violates Sec. 36-422(2)(bbb) and can draw zoning enforcement from Springfield's Building Development Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a veterinary clinic have an outdoor kennel run in Springfield, MO?
How close can a vet clinic's outdoor area be to a house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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