Zoning Text Amendments for Backyard Beekeeping Tabled at County Planning Commission Meeting

At the October meeting of the County Planning Commission, the commissioners received public input about zoning text amendments for backyard beekeeping. At their meeting on Thursday, November 13, this item, which had been tabled at the last meeting, was pulled from the consent agenda, where items are authorized to be advertised, and after a brief discussion, was tabled again. Thus, if all goes smoothly at the December meeting, the item will be authorized for the advertising of a public hearing in January.

The County Planning Commission gathers for their monthly regular meeting on the evening of Thursday, November 13. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh

Centered around concern about overregulation, the public input received in October was echoed by Commissioner Brigitte Miller, who has expertise in beekeeping, confirming that this hobby is indeed expensive, and the prohibition of the sale of honey is not reasonable. Applauded by Commissioner William Gordon, the performance standards, as articulated at the time of the meeting on Thursday, would allow the sale of honey, provided the sale is not executed at the residential site where the beekeeping operation is conducted. Thus, one could foresee the honey traveling to a farmer’s market.

(L) Zoning Administrator Chase Lenz and (R) County Attorney Jason Ham.

Gordon, who moved that the item be pulled from the consent agenda, highlighted several further considerations, among them the standards in state code regarding the number of hives permitted in relation to the size of the lot and the baseline that could inform the commission’s approval of standards for county code. He also indicated the importance of proper fencing, favoring fencing that would force the honeybees to go up and over the fence.

Planner Kelly Wahl.

Planner Kelly Wahl confirmed that there has been a great deal of “back and forth” regarding, especially, the necessity of a sign, indicating the hives, to be displayed on the outside of the fenced-in area, though possibly not necessary if the fencing is more closely oriented to the hives themselves. These amendments are applicant-driven, initiated by someone who would like to keep bees at their R-1 zoned residence.

The meeting, which transpired in thirty-two minutes, also addressed several short-term rental applications, as well as an application for the construction of an accessory dwelling unit. As neither commissioners nor staff had anything to report, “commission matters” were handled briefly, and all wished each other a happy Thanksgiving; the meeting was then adjourned.