Planning commission urges denial of beehive code amendment after neighborhood swarm incident

The Perry Planning Commission on May 7 voted to forward a recommendation of denial on ordinance 26e, a proposed code amendment that would limit beehives in residential areas and confine bee keeping to properties used solely for agricultural purposes.

Bob, the city planning staff member who presented the item, told commissioners the amendment grew out of a recent neighborhood incident in which a backyard hive became agitated during handling and multiple people were stung. He said the draft language would allow beehives only on properties used solely for agriculture, set a minimum parcel threshold (staff suggested about 1 acre) and increase setbacks from the current 10 feet to a larger distance, possibly 50 feet, while allowing existing backyard hives to remain grandfathered.

Resident Blake Osler testified during the public hearing that he and family members were stung during two weekends when a beehive was being removed. “My wife, who’s allergic to bees, was stung twice,” Osler said. He described watching a toddler chased and stung when a hive swarmed and urged the commission to confine beehives to agricultural uses for public-safety reasons.

Commissioners debated whether the incident was an isolated outlier or part of a recurring public-safety risk. Some members noted the agricultural and pollination benefits of bees and warned that overly strict limits could harm orchard and farm operations that maintain multiple hives. Others said the potential for severe allergic reactions argued for stricter limits in close-knit residential neighborhoods.

After discussion, a commissioner moved that the commission forward a recommendation of denial for ordinance 26e; the motion carried on a roll call in which commissioners recorded affirmative responses (Beth; Steven; Marcus; Travis; and the Chair). The motion record in the transcript lists the motion and the roll-call approvals; the transcript does not unambiguously identify which commissioner made the motion by full name (mover recorded as a commissioner in the minutes).

The Planning Commission’s recommendation is advisory; city council will consider the ordinance at a future meeting. Staff indicated the council agenda date for related items is forthcoming and that any language changes or further wordsmithing could be returned to the commission for reconsideration.