BUSINESS
or the owners of the properties. We don’t hate their guts,” they wrote in the letter, which was published to InMaricopa.com June 29. After months of hearings bouncing between the Pinal County Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, Abbott’s business was granted one of two special use permits July 2. The permit covers the location near Val Vista and Ralston Roads. A second permit for her home near Jean Drive and White Road was denied in a contentious 3-2 vote. While Abbott operated with a mix of commercial and non-commercial kennel permits — allowed for homes with five or more dogs — her 3½-acre property fell short of the 5-acre minimum required by county zoning laws for kennels in suburban ranching areas. “My building permits were allowed by the county already, so I can’t be knocked on what the county has allowed me to do,” Abbott said in an interview. Supervisor Rich Vitiello (R-Maricopa) disagreed. Vitiello, who cast the deciding vote against the Jean Drive kennel and the lone vote against the Val Vista site, said the Abbott family had “never done anything correct from the beginning.” “I denied both because if you haven’t been doing things right over the past 30 years, what makes me think you’re going to be doing things right after?” said the supervisor, who lives in Cobblestone Farms. No gray area To Alvarez, the matter comes down to one simple principle. “For me, that is a must. You have to follow rules,” she said. “It’s right or wrong. That’s the way I was raised, that’s the way I was taught and that’s the way the law is written.” She defended her decision to report Hands of Silk, saying that as a city employee she sees people try to skirt the rules “all the time.” Vitiello shared a similar stance after voting against Abbott’s special use permits. “Throughout the county, the issue is: Do something wrong, get caught and then ask for forgiveness,” Vitiello said. “Is that how we’re supposed to run a government? Would you run your business that way?” For him, the answer is clear. “You don’t run a business that way. You don’t do things illegally and then, when you get caught, then fix it. What ramifications did we give them if they do things wrong? Technically none.”
Shell Abbott and Russ Byers of Abbott’s German Shepherds sit with their dogs in this undated photo.
noise, safety and what they called a decline in their quality of life. They also called Abbott and her husband, Russ Byers, liars. “There’s been a lot of lies said today, I can’t hit them all … Please know that there’s been a lot of deception,” Chad Buhr said during a June 19 zoning meeting. Depending on who you ask, the dispute began either with a tree trimming seven years ago or with dogs escaping the property. The Buhrs declined to comment for this story but submitted a letter to the editor ahead of a final vote by the county supervisors. “I would like to make it known that we, Chad and Katie Buhr, do not have a personal grievance or vendetta against Abbott’s German Shepherds,
HOME CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES
Ten of the 70 cases handled by the city’s code enforcement team in fiscal year 2025 involved residents operating a home-based business without proper licenses or zoning approval. Most reported bothersome noise, traffic or unsightly conditions. Three mentioned neighbors. Here’s a timeline of when those 10 cases started and under what circumstances. Dispositions for the cases were not available at the time of publication.
A home-based auto and motorcycle repair shop posts on Facebook. It’s suspected of operating unpermitted.
A residential body mechanic shop is suspected of operating unpermitted in Tortosa. Neighbors report hearing equipment constantly running, and non-operational vehicles delivered frequently. “It is unsightly, loud and dirty,” the report states.
09 24 11 24 12 24 04 25 05 25 06 25
A landscape business is suspected of operating unpermitted within a city neighborhood, creating loud noise with multiple vehicles. Neighbors report loud noises between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
A home-based business is suspected of operating unpermitted from a garage. No other information is provided.
A home-based vehicle repair business is suspected of operating unpermitted from a residence. No other information is provided.
Hands of Silk is operating an unpermitted massage parlor from a home in The Villages.
A home-based school is suspected of operating unpermitted. Next- door neighbors report up to 15 kids arriving on weekdays.
A group home is suspected of operating without a certificate of occupancy.
The Tortosa HOA is reported to be operating in a residential home.
InMaricopa.com | August 2025
August 2025 | InMaricopa.com
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