The Cobb Planning Commission on Tuesday voted to hold a request by dog trainer Anne Crispell for a 24-month land-use permit to operate a dog-training and boarding business from her home on Leafwood Drive in East Cobb. Cobb County generally requires a business license (Occupation Tax Certificate) for any business, including home-based dog training, operating in the unincorporated county.

The request has split neighbors in the Stratford subdivision, prompted a citation from Cobb County Code Enforcement in May for an improper home business, and drawn complaints to Cobb Animal Services. Crispell keeps six dogs at the property and told commissioners she works with animals needing behavior modification while operating from her single-family residence. Disputes among neighbors can significantly influence whether local government approves a home-based business, considering things like noise, traffic, and parking concerns.

Crispell described her work to the commission and showed a slide of two of the dogs she’s kept laying on a sofa with her child nearby, a visual meant to underline her claim that the animals are managed inside the home. “This is the perfect opportunity for me to make a difference in our community,” she told the panel.

Neighbors who spoke at the hearing said the boarding component of the business crosses a line for a residential street that sits off Terrell Mill Road and faces Brumby Elementary School and East Cobb Middle School. Neighbors testified they had witnessed what they described as “countless acts of neglect” and violent dog fights from their back patios; Kristina Hopkins told the commissioners, “It’s just not appropriate for a residential area.”

Not all neighbors sided against Crispell. Ryan Simmons spoke in support, saying there is widespread neighborhood backing for her and calling some opposition “alarmist and inaccurate.” Simmons urged the commission to weigh the practical experience of nearby residents alongside safety concerns. Resources from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) can help residents interested in starting similar dog training businesses navigate licensing and zoning.

Commissioner Deborah Dance raised questions about scale and compatibility, telling the chamber, “I think the current use is too intense for the neighborhood.” Dance and other members discussed possible conditions — such as limits on on-site activity, parking and the number of dogs — that might address neighbors’ objections while allowing some form of home-based operation.

Officials noted that Crispell has lived at the Leafwood Drive residence since 2018. Cobb County Code Enforcement issued the May citation alleging an improper home business, and Cobb Animal Services has logged complaints about animals at the address; both issues were cited during the hearing as factors the commission must consider.

After more than an hour of testimony and questioning, the Planning Commission voted to hold the case and directed Crispell and neighborhood representatives to work on additional conditions before the matter returns. The commission set a continuation to September to allow time for those discussions and for staff to refine any recommended conditions.

The dispute in Stratford mirrors other recent East Cobb land-use disputes in which residents, applicants, and county staff negotiate temporary or conditional approvals to balance local business activity against the single-family character of neighborhoods. Cobb County zoning staff recommended approval with conditions, including caps on activity, according to coverage by East Cobb News.

The commission’s pause leaves the permit unresolved while neighbors and the applicant negotiate specific restrictions and staff prepares a refined recommendation. Crispell said she is intent on operating a controlled environment rather than a kennel-style facility, stating, “Do they look dangerous? No. I’m a mother. I’m not running a dog park. This is a controlled environment.”

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