On Oct. 27, Greenfield City Council approved 3-0 a zoning amendment allowing animal shelters in the light industrial zone, bringing an SPCA Monterey County office a step closer to construction in South County.
Councilmembers Ariana Rodriguez and Marcy Moreno-Mares were absent.
“This is amazing for our community, not just for the youth, but for our seniors,” Councilmember Rachel Ortiz saidduring the meeting, noting many local seniors were pet owners.
In May, SPCA sent the city a proposal to bring animal services to Greenfield on a 16.64-acre property at the corner of El Camino Real and Pine Avenue. The Planning Commission approved it in September.
The project would be implemented in two phases. The first phase includes a temporary modular building to comply with the c ity's current building moratorium , which ensures the wastewater treatment plant operates within capacity while the new plant is built.
It would also have a space for a mobile clinic, outdoor kennel space and eight parking spaces, providing services two or three times per week.
“The proposed animal shelter would provide a substantial public and community benefit,” according to a city staff report.
Currently, the only animal hospital in South County is in King City after Los Coches Animal Hospital closed in Soledad in 2024.
Stray animals would also be housed closer to where they are located. Currently, stray animals from Gonzales, King City and Soledad are taken to the SPCA on Highway 68. (Stray animals from Greenfield are sent to Hitchcock Road Animal Shelter in Salinas.)
The long-term plan is to have a smaller-scale version of SPCA in South County, similar to the existing facility on Highway 68. It would offer various services, including adoption and spay-and-neuter clinics. It would also provide space for dog training classes and youth and community education.
The zoning amendment will come back to the council for a second reading and adoption. The second phase would be reviewed and approved separately.