A Sudbury kennel owner says the future of her operation is in question after the city's planning committee deferred a zoning application.

On Monday, a planning committee meeting was held to discuss Darlene Nicholson's application to have her property rezoned to permit her business to be closer to nearby homes than normally allowed. She owns Friends Fur-Ever Pet Resort, a free-range dog kennel in Lively.

Nicholson wants to be able to have more buildings on her property, including a grooming facility and a therapy pool for dogs.

City staff had recommended the committee deny the request. The city said its bylaws prohibited kennel buildings anywhere closer than 300 metres to the property line.

Darlene Nicholson plays with some of the dogs at Friends Fur-Ever Pet Resort. (Samantha Samson/CBC News)

Nicholson was granted a business license in 2013, even though the kennel did not comply with the bylaw at that time. The city says she converted a shed into a kennel without a building permit. As a result, that structure was closer to other properties than the required 300 metres.

Now, Nicholson says her plans are up in the air.

"You just can't put money into a business that you're worrying that the city is going to close you next year, next month, next whatever," she said.

"[I feel] harassed and bullied. It was the city's error in the first place [to issue the licence]."

Neighbourhood residents weigh in

People who live near Nicholson also attended the meeting to share their views.

College student Josee Rousselle lives nearby and says Nicholson's dogs are already making too much noise.

"There's dogs barking at every time of the night," she said.

"I'm exhausted, I go to college, I'm a full time student and have a part time job, and I don't get any sleep because I hear the dogs barking."

Neighbour Tom Price came out in support of the kennel's plans. He says it's not the sounds of happy dogs people should be concerned about.

"In between the kennel and the people who have been doing the most vocal complaining and putting up the signs, there are two horse farms," he said.

"Anybody who's been raised on farm or been around horses, when those horses whinny or neigh, those sounds are far more piercing than any dog or group of dogs."

Price points out a mistake was made in 2013 when the business licence was granted to Nicholson.

"It is downright shameful that this city would try to now penalize these people for the mistakes that were made by the city," he said.

"This council has a duty to make sure that that does not negatively impact these people."

The city's planning committee decided to reserve their decision, which will allow councillors to go back to the table and discuss potential changes to the bylaws.

Those are expected in April of 2019.