UPDATE 8/8
A Gadsden County Magistrate refrained from making a final ruling that would have forced Champs Chance Rescue to crease operations.
During a public hearing, Magistrate Paul Arnold says he will give Alicia Bopp 10 days to seek legal council and present a legal brief.
The magistrate is also requesting she files for special exemption.
This would allow her to operate in the same location for the time being.
The judge will issue a written ruling in 45 day.
A number of people attended the public hearing to voice concerns and equal support for the rescue.
Sworn testimony began with
- Gadsden County says Champs Chance is running a business on rural residential property, which is in violation of the county's local ordinance.
- The rescue's owner says she's looking to relocate the rescue.
- Watch the video to hear from the county on why they wrote her the violation
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A Quincy rescue that many animals and neighbors depend on may be forced to shut down.
I’m Ashley Engle your neighborhood reporter. Champs Chance’s owner Alicia Bopp was given a code enforcement violation from the county for running her rescue. I’m looking into why she received the letter and what violation the count claims she broke.
"I'm terrified."
The feeling of fear after putting in hours of hard work and time for something Alicia Bopp cares about.
"I have 40 plus pups that are my kids"
Bopp tells me she received this letter shown on your screen in July.
Within that letter, it states that Bopp was running a business on rural residential property--which is in violation of the county's local ordinance.
"They classified us in the land use as a veterinarian's office."
Bopp tells me the rescue is not a vet office. It's simply a non-profit.
I took this question to Gadsden County's Leslie Steele.
Is a non-profit considered a business?
“She is under the impression that because she's a non-profit that she's not a business, but a nonprofit is considered a business."
I checked the county's Land Development Code, and it says, 'conducting a business on one's property is prohibited in the rural residential zone.'
GADSDEN COUNTY LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE
Bopp says she’s been running the rescue for almost three years now. She says neighbors have been complaining about the rescue being there, but in her eyes, she doesn't believe she’s doing anything wrong.
"It comes down to either saving lives or basing what we have in four walls."
With this code violation county leaders say Bopp is doing something good for the community, and don't want that to change.
"We don't want her to shut down, we want her to continue to be a service to these animals and her rescue. We want her to find a location, to properly provide the services that she is providing. But not in a residential area."
Bopp tells me she's been looking to relocate the rescue for some time now, but finances are what is holding her back.
"We can't do it alone; we need the help."
There will be a public hearing on this matter august 8that 11 am where Alicia will be able to share her case. This hearing is open to the public.
