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Exhibit B <br /> REVISED Ziesmer Bee Colony Description <br /> Dear Orono City Planner and Council, <br /> The purpose of this letter is to notify you that my wife and I have recently submitted a conditional use <br /> permit application to begin our new hobby of beekeeping this spring. <br /> Our family has lived at 3440 Bayside Road for 32 years and have thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of our <br /> community. Marie and I appreciate the space many of us have to beautify our properties with flower <br /> gardens, enjoy fresh vegetables from our gardens,tend and harvest fruit trees,and even provide delicious <br /> vegetation for the deer population. Having bee colonies on our property will enhance production and <br /> beauty of these plants in our neighborhood. <br /> The Orono City Code defines bee colonies in the same category as farm animals and requires at least one <br /> acre for the property dwelling and one acre for each animal unit—with which our 2.03 acre property <br /> complies. There is no clear definition in the code establishing how many beehives are equivalent to an <br /> animal unit,so the city planner asked that I work with the University of Minnesota Bee Squad to determine <br /> the appropriate number of hives for our property. The feedback received from the Bee Squad is they are <br /> currently studying the optimal amount of space per bee hive, but they are not ready to offer a <br /> recommendation for my permit. Their suggestion is to start small and grow to a point that the hives will be <br /> sustainable. We plan to start with two to four hives and potentially grow to as many as six hives, if that <br /> number can be sustainable. Please note: a certain number of bee colonies often do not survive the winter <br /> (a higher risk for new beekeepers)—which is why we intend to start with two to four hives. <br /> The code states that any building or structure associated with the animals is located more than 150 feet <br /> from the nearest adjacent residence and at least 75 fee from the nearest lot line. The site plan submitted <br /> indicates the area where the beehives will be located based on these parameters. Also submitted is an <br /> aerial view of neighboring properties and the location of the beehive zone. <br /> To help us start our hobby off on the right foot,we have enrolled in the University of Minnesota Bee Squad <br /> online course entitled "Beekeeping in Northern Climates"that takes us through two seasons of beekeeping <br /> and has been a terrific resource. We have also joined the West Metro Bee Club (based at Otten Bros <br /> Garden Center) and we look forward to sharing experiences with fellow beekeepers in our area. <br /> A cover letter and beehive site map was mailed to nine neighbors on February 20. As of this writing, I have <br /> received positive and encouraging feedback from Tim and Natalie Vaughan, Chris and Margaret Flury, and <br /> Lynn Walstedt,with no negative responses. It is important to know that bees only forage on plant nectar <br /> and pollen and are not attracted sugar water for hummingbirds,jelly for orioles, or human food/drinks (it is <br /> yellow jacket wasps that are attracted to these items). <br /> Thank you for your help and I look forward to working through the approval process with you! <br /> Todd Ziesmer <br /> 3440 Bayside Road <br /> Orono, MN 55356 <br /> tziesmer@usfamily.net <br /> 612-250-9293 <br />