Snake firm finds a home

SPANISH FORK — The long, difficult journey of a family attempting to move its snake-breeding business to Utah ended in success Wednesday night, when the Planning Commission voted 4-1 to grant the business a conditional use permit.

When Dan and Colette Sutherland attempted to move their online ball python breeding business to Mapleton earlier this year, they were stymied by a vocal protest from Mapleton residents.

In Spanish Fork, the Sutherlands found a much more welcoming community.

When questioned by commission members Wednesday, Dan Sutherland attempted to keep the meeting light.

"We don't have the big snakes, like what you see in the movie, or on airplanes like they've made fun of lately," he said.

Spanish Fork's Developmental Review Committee had recommended that the permit be approved on six conditions: that no venomous snake be kept on the property, no snake that requires a state or federal handling permit be kept, the facility maintain industry-approved standards, any rodents on site be kept in cages, a security system be installed and the property be well-maintained so as not to be a nuisance to surrounding owners.

Planning commission members raised concerns over some of the conditions, particularly the last one, saying they were overly vague and would be difficult to enforce. The commission altered that provision slightly to give city zoning officers the power to determine what would be a nuisance.

The commission also voted to add a seventh condition — that the Sutherlands draw up an emergency plan for use in a disaster.

Commission members also asked questions to determine the Sutherlands' experience and qualifications to run such a business.

"I think we have the right to know the people who are behind this permit," asked commission member Sharon Miya, who cast the dissenting vote.

Colette Sutherland said the snakes posed no danger.

"The only problem is perception," she said. "The animals themselves are not a problem. I have four children, they've been in there, they've worked with them, and I still have four children. I wouldn't keep anything that posed a danger to my family."

Other questions focused on cleanliness and security, which Sutherland said were as important to him from a business standpoint as they would be for residents.

"We're worried about stuff getting into our collection," he said. "We keep everything very clean, very disease-free. We don't want anything in there that doesn't belong. Our snakes are very expensive, and we can't afford to have anything in there that doesn't belong."