A major hurdle was cleared earlier this week for a new animal shelter in Greene County.

Greene County Development Corporation Board members approved to give the City of Jefferson a four and a half acre lot in their west business park to build a new shelter. We’ve previously reported that the lot is south of American Athletic Incorporated and Spalding property off of Highway 4. City Administrator Mike Palmer says part of their agreement is that the new shelter must be built within three years. If the shelter isn’t built by then, the property will revert back to GCDC.

Palmer is thankful to have a location selected so they can get going on the project.

“I know Don Orris has put a tremendous amount of time into this and there’s actually kind of a sketch drawing (of the facility) already. But to do this right and move it forward, it’ll need some architectural drawings, that’s the next step. And then to get it all funded will be the final step. But in the end, the hope is that the City and the County can run it in a joint venture.”

Plans for the new shelter include 17 dog kennels, an isolation area for intaking animals, food preparation room, an exam room, along with a holding area and cat adoption rooms.