2024 Vol 18, Issue 2 April Gem Lake News

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Gem Lake News Page 4 of 8 City Pet Ordinance Gets an Overhaul Gem Lake’s Planning Commission recently completed an overhaul of the city’s Domestic Animals Ordinance No. 140. After much discussion and several meetings, the group presented a series of suggested changes to the city council in February. These changes were accepted and incorporated into the ordinance. Much of the work centered around better and more consistently defining who owns, controls, manages and cleans up after domestic animals. Other matters tackled included how they must be licensed, what happens when an animal is considered dangerous, procedures for dealing with lost or impounded pets, etc. The newly revised Ordinance No. 140 can be found on the city’s website. Beekeeping now Allowed in Gem Lake A new section on beekeeping has been added to Gem Lake Ordinance No. 142, which deals with Agricultural and Wild Animals. The city’s Planning Commission took on the task of researching beekeeping regulations in surrounding cities and determining how Gem Lake should deal with the subject. Based on their recommendations, the Gem Lake City Council incorporated their suggested changes into city Ordinance No. 142 on March 19, during the city’s monthly meeting. The Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association’s sample ordinance for beekeeping was used as a model, with a nod to similar ordinances used by St. Paul Park, White Bear Lake and Shakopee. Here is a summary of additions and changes on this subject to Ordinance 142: 1. Beekeeping and related terms are defined in Section 2.4.2 2. A new section 4 was added to the ordinance on beekeeping operations. 3. Section 4.1 includes Permitted Operations, such as Location Requirements, Colony Density and Standards of Practice. a. Hives will be permitted in rear yards. b. Hives must meet a minimum setback of 25 feet from property lines, and a 100-foot minimum setback from principal structures on adjacent properties. c. The number of colonies permitted is determined by lot size. (From 0-8 colonies) d. The Standards of Practice are similar to requirements found in other communities. i. The on-site sale of ‘apiary products must follow the requirements of the city’s Home Occupation Ordinance. 4. Section 4.2 includes Permitting and Inspections a. The ordinance amendment requires a permit for beekeeping be renewed on an annual basis. b. The application must include a site plan of the lot showing the location of the hives, a signed agreement that the property may be inspected for compliance, a certificate of completion from a beekeeping training course, and a mailing list of neighbors within 350 feet of the apiary lot.