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AGENDA ITEM <br />Item No.: 17 <br />Date: November 22, 2021 <br />Item Description: LA21-000065 City of Orono TA- Honeybees, Summary Ordinance <br />No. 263, Third Series and Ordinance No. 264, Third Series <br />Presenter: Laura Oakden Agenda Consent Agenda <br />Planner Section: <br />1. Purpose. Amend the city code to clarify the keeping of honeybees <br />2. Background. The City Council reviewed the regulation of honeybees at the November 8th, 2021 City <br />Council meeting and directed staff to define Honeybees separately in the City Code and identify a maximum <br />of 6 hives per acre for the keeping of bees. Staff researched the definition of apiary with the Merriam - <br />Webster Dictionary and by looking as other cities with Bee definitions including, Plymouth, New Brighton, <br />and Brooklyn Park. Based on the Council's discussion staff has simplified the keeping of honeybees and <br />listed apiaries as accessory uses in the rural and lakeshore districts, as summarized below: <br />Definition: <br />Apiaa means a collection of hives or colonies of honeybees kept for their hone <br />Accessory uses in the RR -1A, RR -1B, LR -IA, LR -1B, LR -1C, LR -1C-1: <br />Apiaries when. <br />a. The property consists of a minimum of 2 acres in land area. <br />b. Maximum of six hives are permitted per acre of land. <br />c. All structures associated with honeybees must follow the accessory structure setbacks. <br />Currently, The City of Orono regulates honeybees as farm animals. Non-commercial Farm animals for the <br />use of occupants of premises are permitted in the rural districts as an accessory use and in the lakeshore <br />districts as a conditional use permit. Farm Animals, other than horses, require a minimum 2 acres of land. <br />The proposed amendment lists apiaries as an accessory use in rural and lake shore districts, when the <br />property is two acres in size or larger. <br />3. Planning Commission Vote and Comment. On October 18th the Planning Commission held a public <br />hearing. Following the public hearing, the Planning Commission voted 5-0 on a motion to amend the city <br />code to remove honey bees from the list of defined farm animals and to list honey bees as a conditional use <br />in the lakeshore zoning district allowing 12 hives per acre. <br />4. Public Comment. No public comment was received. <br />COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED <br />1. City Council approve the drafted ordinance. <br />2. City Council approve the drafted summary ordinance. <br />Exhibits <br />A. Draft Ordinance <br />B. Draft Summary Ordinace <br />C. November 8 City Council Minutes <br />D. November 8, 2021 CC Staff Report <br />Prepared By: L. Oakden <br />Reviewed By: J. Barnhart <br />Approved By <br />