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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,November 8,2021 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT—Continued <br /> honeybees have a symbiotic relationship to other animals and should not be counted towards the animal <br /> unit totals. The Planning Commission also noted wetlands need to be counted towards the total acreage <br /> for honeybees,they recommended removing honeybees from the definition of farm animals so it is not <br /> counted towards property animal units,and is only listed as a Conditional Use Permit(CUP)within the <br /> lakeshore districts. The Planning Commission suggested increasing the limit up to 12 hives per acre and <br /> voted 5-0 on a motion to amend City Code to remove honeybees from the listed defined farm animals and <br /> to list honeybees as a CUP in the lakeshore zoning districts allowing up to 12 hives.Ms. Oakden noted <br /> that Staff does not support the Planning Commission's recommendation in not listing honeybees as farm <br /> animals and regulating them as a conditional use in the lake district has an effect of prohibiting them in <br /> the rural district because they are no longer listed as a permitted animal. Staff has amended the <br /> recommendation to have six hives equal one animal unit but to also allow wetlands to count toward the <br /> total land area of honeybee calculations and to allow honeybee animals units to be exclusive and not <br /> count toward the animal unit totals of the property. <br /> Mayor Walsh asked why they are talking about the issue and what other communities are doing. <br /> Ms. Oakden noted Staff has been fielding more honeybee questions for beekeeping on properties. Staff <br /> does not have guidance within the Code except to say if they hit the minimum two acre land size and are <br /> in the right zoning district people can have them. They are listed as farm animals which are limited based <br /> on animal units. <br /> Mayor Walsh said people could always come in for a variance with less than two acres. <br /> Seals asked if the Councilmembers really consider a honeybee as a farm animal. <br /> The City Council discussed various options and opinions. <br /> Oakden showed a document with various other cities in the area and their regulations,noting some cities <br /> don't have anything in their code and others allow it in agricultural or rural districts. <br /> The Councilmembers agreed that it is reasonable to define an animal unit as 6 hives per acre to start with <br /> and if people need more the City Council can amend that number at a later time. <br /> Johnson clarified the bee units are a separate calculation than any other animal units and it was not as <br /> clear in writing. <br /> Oakden noted she will work with Attorney Mattick to add language to clarify that honeybees will <br /> standalone and not take away from any other animal unit on a property. <br /> Attorney Mattick noted they will draft the language and bring it before the City Council at their next <br /> meeting. <br /> Page 2 of 6 <br />