A Baltimore County Councilman says the county is ignoring its own zoning laws. Councilman Wade Kach is proposing legislation he said would make the county abide by its own rules when building on county-owned property.

This goes back to a dispute neighbors of the newly built animal shelter in Baldwin had with the county. They said barking from the shelter violated state noise laws, and that the county ignored its own zoning regulations and built the shelter too close to property lines, within earshot of the neighbors.

The county opened a new shelter in 2016 on the same land as the previous pound, but the outdoor kennels are now closer to the nearby neighborhood.

Kach said the county built the shelter on its property in his districtwith no public input.

“If there had been a public input hearing and the community had been aware of this, it’s possible that these problems would have never occurred,” Kach said.

The county council recently passed a bill sponsored by Kach requiring the county to decrease the noise at the shelter. And now Kach is proposing legislation requiring the county to follow zoning laws when building on any of its properties.

Kach said, "If a farmer has to have a certain setback to build a barn, why shouldn't the county have to abide by the same law?"

A spokeswoman for County Executive Kevin Kamenetz did not answer a request for comment.