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Item No: 7G Meeting Date: August 24, 2015 Type of Business: Public Hearing City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Public Hearing, First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance 908, an Ordinance Amending Chapter 701 of the Mounds View Municipal Code to Permit the Keeping of Honeybees in Certain Residential Districts. Introduction: At the June and July work sessions, the Council discussed the possibility of amending the City Code to allow backyard beekeeping. Residents and beekeeping experts from the University of MN and Century College have attended the meetings, encouraging the Council to amend the Code to remove “honeybees” from the list of prohibited farm animals, as was done recently for chickens. At the August work session, the Council reviewed a draft version of the attached ordinance and directed staff to schedule the public hearing. Discussion A growing number of cities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, including St. Paul and Minneapolis, allow backyard beekeeping, often in conjunction with a permit or license. Other cities have become “bee friendly” as more attention is being paid to the perils associated with colony collapse disorder and the impacts to pollination as bee populations decline. Supporters of backyard beekeeping point out that honey bees are often confused with more aggressive hornets or wasps. Beekeepers raise bees primarily as a means to enjoy a fresh and organic supply of honey. Opponents of backyard beekeeping, similar to opponents of backyard chickens, often suggest that beehives do not belong in a residential neighborhood, but rather at farms or agriculturally zoned lands. In addition, residents may have serious allergies such that placement of backyard hives nearby may pose an unacceptable risk to them. Staff prepared a draft ordinance which the City Council reviewed during the August 3, 2015, work session. The proposed requirements were as follows: • No more than two hives per property (unless lot larger than ½ acre) • Hives shall be set back 10 feet from a property line and from dwellings • Hives shall be located only in backyards • Water source shall be provided, best management practices observed • Beekeepers would be required to obtain a license and demonstrate proof of training • Permit or license can be revoked/denied by the Council in case of nuisance No changes have been made to the attached ordinance subsequent to the version reviewed on August 3, 2015.