UPDATE: Veterinarian Presents New Location For New Practice

UPDATE: Minnis told the Plan Commission at their meeting Jan. 4, 2012 that she won't be locating her practice to the 6231 Northwestern Avenue location. However, she has another location in mind at 4338 State Highway 38. Because of the potential location change, she had to have that concept plan approved and the Plan Commission passed it unanimously.

ORIGINAL STORY: A new veterinarian practice may start up in Caledonia this spring, but a person many know from the will likely run the practice.

Dr. Sylvia Minnis presented a conceptual plan to open her own practice inside a residence, located at 6231 Northwestern Ave., to the Plan Commission Wednesday night.

She currently has an offer to purchase the home, which was built in the 1930s. Minnis told Plan Commission members she wanted to get a preliminary nod from them before she proceeded with the purchase, especially since the property is zoned residential and not commercial.

Julie Anderson, the zoning administrator for the Village, told the Plan Commission that if they allowed the property to be used as a veterinary clinic, they would have to change the land use plan and the zoning map to allow for a commercial use.

Anderson said she had mixed feelings on the idea, primarily because the surrounding area is zoned residential. However, Anderson acknowledged the residential market has been quite slow for sometime.

After some discussion by the Plan Commission about how Minnis would operate the business, they gave a preliminary approval to the project. Minnis said she plans to live in the 5,000 square-foot home and operate her veterinary practice there. She hopes to open the business in April, but would still need approval from the full board to move forward with the project.

Minnis currently works for Franksville Veterinary Clinic.