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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br />Monday, October 18, 2021 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 1 of 2 <br /> <br />ROLL CALL <br /> <br />The Orono Planning Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: <br />Commissioners Chris Bollis, Bob Erickson, Matt Gettman, Jon Ressler, and Dennis Libby. Chair Scott <br />Kirchner and Commissioner Mark McCutcheon were absent. Representing Staff were Community <br />Development Director Jeremy Barnhart and City Planner Laura Oakden. <br /> <br />Vice Chair Ressler called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. <br /> <br />APPROVAL OF AGENDA <br /> <br />Libby moved, Bollis seconded, to approve the Agenda. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />APPROVAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 <br /> <br />Gettman moved, Bollis seconded, to approve the Minutes of the Orono Planning Commission <br />meeting of September 20, 2021 as submitted. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARINGS <br /> <br />1. LA21-000065 CITY OF ORONO PROPOSES A TEXT AMENDMENT TO CITY CODE <br />CHAPTER 78 - ZONING REGULATIONS RELATED TO ANIMAL UNITS. (STAFF: <br />LAURA OAKDEN) <br /> <br />Staff presented a summary packet of information. City Planner Oakden stated the City proposes a text <br />amendment to animal units to include honeybee hives; the City regulates honeybees under farm animals <br />and animal units has not yet been established. Farm animals, other than horses, require a minimum of 2 <br />acres of land and the number of farm animals allowed is based on the acreage of the property and <br />corresponding animal units. Typically animal units are determined by the weight of the animal. <br />Honeybees are not regulated by weight but by number of hives. After research it was found that ranges <br />fall within 1-6 hives/animal unit for the keeping of residential honeybees. Staff recommends 6 honeybee <br />hives as one animal unit. <br /> <br />The Commissioners asked clarifying questions of Ms. Oakden, finding out that residents have called the <br />City to find out how many hives they can have and Staff has been unable to advise in that way. They <br />learned that honeybees are already allowed in the City Code as an allowed farm animal, but it does not <br />define a number. <br /> <br />Vice Chair Ressler opened the public hearing at 6:10 p.m. <br /> <br />Vice Chair Ressler closed the public hearing at 6:10 p.m. <br /> <br />Bollis clarified it is not people opposed to having bees but rather people who want to follow the law and <br />regulations. He is opposed to putting a unit number on it for Rural Residential (RR) districts because the <br />person managing the bees knows more than the Planning Commission as to how many units they can <br />have on their property. He thinks Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) can be handled on a case-by-case basis <br />as there is plenty of regulation already on it. Bollis noted people may start out with 12 hives in a year and <br />end up with 2 surviving. If they are targeting 6 hives they should at least double that number to allow for <br />Exhibit C <br />LA21-000065