Zoning Board of Appeals

Editor’s note. The person who runs this community site lives in the Eastover Road neighborhood and spoke at this hearing about the application. To keep coverage of this matter fair, we stick to the meeting record, present all sides, and withhold resident commenters’ names — including the operator’s. As always, verify against the official minutes.

The Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Schaghticoke met at the Town Hall, 290 Northline Drive, Melrose, on Thursday, July 2, 2026.

Regular meeting — 7:00 PM

Roll call took place.

Present: Ed McDonough (Chairman), Nick Bayly, Rich Geddis, Jay Shover. Absent: Lettie Saheim. Elizabeth Hale, Clerk, and David Brennan, Town Attorney, were present.

Approval of prior minutes

The Board reviewed the minutes of June 4, 2026. Jay Shover moved to approve them as submitted; Ed McDonough seconded.

• Ayes: McDonough, Geddis, Shover
• Nays: None
• Abstention: Bayly

Ed McDonough moved to suspend the regular meeting and open the public hearing; Jay Shover seconded. (Ayes: McDonough, Bayly, Geddis, Shover. Nays: None.)

Public hearing — Foxvog dog grooming & daycare (Application #4-26, Tax Map #71.10-1-1)

At 7:01 p.m., Chairman McDonough reviewed the sequence of the hearing and read the Notice of Hearing for Application #4-26 of Megan Foxvog. The application asks the Board to interpret the Zoning Law as allowing the use of 100 Eastover Road — a 1.21± acre parcel at the northeast corner of Route 40 and Eastover Road, the current Scriven Printing building — as a dog grooming and doggie daycare facility in the Hamlet District, subject to a special use permit and site-plan review by the Planning Board; or, in the alternative, for a use variance allowing the use subject to site-plan review. Written comment would be accepted by mail or email to the Town Clerk, and the Board would keep the written record open for 14 days after the July 2 hearing. About eight residents attended.

The applicant’s presentation. Megan Foxvog (applicant) and Karla Foxvog (proposed owner) were present, as was Brian Rafferty, the current property owner. Land surveyor Jake Keasbey presented the proposal and showed an illustration of the renovated building façade. Ms. Foxvog said she currently runs a dog-grooming salon in the Town of Cambridge that has grown quickly, and that the Eastover Road location would give her far more room for an “upscale” salon. She noted the application seeks an interpretation around the term “kennel,” which the Zoning Code prohibits in a Hamlet District.

Neighborhood concerns. A resident speaking for the Eastover Road neighborhood raised concerns about the “kenneling aspect” — excessive barking, the daycare operation, and possible outdoor fencing for dogs — and noted that a large number of dogs could be accommodated in the Scriven space. Chairman McDonough responded that there would be no overnight boarding and that proposed hours were 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Traffic, parking, and code enforcement. Safety concerns centered on traffic hazards and sight distance at the corner. It was noted that Choice Physical Therapy, across Eastover Road, currently uses the Scriven lot for overflow parking. Attorney Brennan said “No Parking” signs could be posted but that posting is not code enforcement’s responsibility. A discussion of code enforcement followed, in which some Board members cited a lack of enforcement and gave examples. Land surveyor Keasbey said the Foxvog proposal should not be penalized for the parking practices of a different business.

Comment from officials. Vince Ragone, who owns neighboring property, said the site had been on the market for about 570 days with eight showings, argued the town needs more “home-grown” businesses, and observed that a gas station or convenience store — both permitted in a Hamlet District — would generate more traffic than a grooming salon. He also noted the town’s Comprehensive Plan was last reviewed in 2005 and is due for an update. Town Board member Bill Fogarty said the proposed business is not a kennel.

The applicant on operations. Ms. Foxvog said the first floor offers about 2,400 square feet; she anticipates two groomers and one dog handler/supervisor. Her daycare goal is 6–10 dogs, though she acknowledged she is new to daycare and uncertain on numbers; grooming would run roughly 20 dogs a week, four to six a day, one at a time, so she does not expect major parking problems given drop-off and pick-up timing. She offered a short biography — she began grooming after high school, opened a small retail space in Cambridge, has been seeking a larger space for a year, and has won regional awards two years running — and said she hopes to make a positive impact on the town.

A board member’s disclosure. Jay Shover, who is himself a resident of the Eastover Road neighborhood, raised traffic-congestion concerns, noting that neighborhood ingress and egress would coincide with the business’s hours; he stated he was acting in his role as a Board member. The current owner spoke in support of the application, likening it to “Right to Farm” (“Right to Dog”), and questioned whether Mr. Shover had a conflict of interest as a neighborhood resident. Mr. Shover replied that the owner, as the seller, might likewise be conflicted, and reiterated his traffic-safety concerns.

Attorney’s guidance. Attorney Brennan read the Code’s definition of “kennel,” asked whether the applicant had a clear business plan and whether there is a sufficient market for grooming and daycare in a largely farm-and-agricultural town, and explained that the Board could not decide until the written-comment period closed.

Deliberation set for July 20

Ed McDonough moved to reconvene for deliberation on the Foxvog application on Monday, July 20, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.; Rich Geddis seconded. (Ayes: McDonough, Bayly, Geddis, Shover. Nays: None.) Jay Shover then requested recusal from the Foxvog matter and noted he would be on vacation on July 20.

(This proposal is covered in our news features on the proposed dog grooming and daycare and the July 20 deliberation.)

Adjournment

With no further business, Ed McDonough moved to adjourn at 8:18 p.m.; Rich Geddis seconded. (Ayes: McDonough, Bayly, Geddis, Shover. Nays: None.)

Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Clerk.