A boarding kennel proposed for Squatters Road would have little impact on nearby land, city council heard Monday night.

"It's just a yard, essentially, with dog houses,” Ian Stewart told council. He spoke during a public input session at the council meeting on the conditional use application for the kennel.

Stewart was speaking on behalf of Genesee Keevil, who is proposing the kennel for her property.

Keevil's plans would see her boarding up to 22 dogs on her property. Coun. Dave Stockdale took issue with that ambition last week because under the Official Community Plan, the area is designated Natural Open Space.

Keevil's property is zoned Country Residential, which allows for home-based businesses as conditional uses.

During his presentation before council, Stewart said he wanted to assure Stockdale the kennel's impact on the natural surroundings would be minimal.

No buildings would be constructed, and outside of fencing and the dog houses, no infrastructure would be put in place.

While Keevil already has six dogs at her home (granted by a city permit) as part of her own recreational team, Stewart said the kennel would be an entirely separate project for boarding outdoor dogs.

The dog houses for the animals wouldn't be heated, he said.

He also told council the area where the dog yard will be is more than 300 metres from McLean Creek.

Coun. Florence Roberts wondered if Keevil would be all right if someone asked to test the water in the creek after the kennel has been operating.

"Absolutely,” Stewart replied, adding he believes it to be a non-issue.

The city also heard from Keevil's next-door neighbour, Gary Bemis.

He requested that if the application is granted, it include a sunset clause so that if the house is rented out to a tenant or sold at any point, the kennel would cease to operate.

Bemis, a longtime resident of the area, said while he has no problem with Keevil operating a kennel, having someone else there potentially operating it creates too many unknowns.

Prior to the application coming forward, Keevil obtained the signatures of five neighbours stating they had no problem with her plans.

There is one person, though, who wrote to the city opposing the kennel.

Rob Fendrick, the city's director of administrative services, said a total of six letters came in, one of those being against Keevil's intentions.

Another letter favoured it, with another offering support, though with some issues. The remaining three letters noted concerns with the kennel, he said.

A report to council on the public input session is set to come forward on Dec. 7. That will be followed by a vote on whether to allow the conditional use on Dec. 14.

Councillors Doug Graham and Dave Austin were absent from Monday's meeting, with Mayor Bev Buckway attending by conference call.