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Item No: 7B Meeting Date: September 14, 2015 Type of Business: Council Business City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 908, an Ordinance Amending Chapter 701 of the Mounds View Municipal Code to Permit the Keeping of Honeybees in Certain Residential Districts (ROLL CALL VOTE) 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. The public hearing and first reading was held on August 24, 2015. Background: 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. Discussion: At the public hearing on August 24, 2015, the City Council heard testimony from residents in support of the proposed amendments. After discussing the proposed limitation on the number of hives per property, the City Council directed staff to amend the ordinance to allow for four hives regardless of the size of the lot. The increased allowance of hives would then accommodate beekeepers who wish to maintain two “nucleus” hives in addition to their two primary hives, or four hives without nucleus hives. (Refer to the attached documentation relating to “Nucleus Hives”.)