09 - Laserfiche WebLink

ATTACHMENT 2 THE CITY OF Planning Commission - ..;;;;i1, Staff Report LEASANTON January 28, 2015 Item 6.a. SUBJECT: P14-1276 APPLICANT: City of Pleasanton PROPOSAL: Application to amend Title 18 (Zoning) of the Pleasanton Municipal Code to establish a permit process and performance standards for beekeeping ZONING: Various GENERAL PLAN: Various EXHIBITS: A. Draft Amendments to the Pleasanton Municipal Code B. Data on Jurisdictions that Permit Beekeeping C. October 8, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Excerpt BACKGROUND In 1926 the Board of Trustees of the Town of Pleasanton adopted Ordinance 145 "[p]rohibiting the keeping of Bees and the Maintenance of apiary or Swarms of Hives of Bees within the Limits of the Town of Pleasanton." While this prohibition is not codified in the Municipal Code, it is still in place and has not been repealed. While the Pleasanton Municipal Code (PMC) currently lists apiaries as a conditionally permitted use in the Agricultural (A) zoning district, beekeeping is not permitted or conditionally permitted in other zoning districts. During the portion of the September 2, 2014 City Council meeting for public comment on non-agendized items, David Browne (a member of the public) requested that the City Council allow beekeeping in R-1 (One-Family Residential) zoning districts. Since the request was not related to an agenda item, the Brown Act prohibited the City Council from discussing, making recommendations, and/or taking action on Mr. Browne's request. However, Council asked staff to research the merits of an amendment to the Municipal Code to permit small-scale beekeeping in residential zoning districts. On October 8, 2014, staff presented a memo to the Planning Commission apprising the Planning Commission that staff would be researching a potential PMC amendment for beekeeping, and requested preliminary questions from the Commission prior to formally P14-1276, Beekeeping Planning Commission Page 1 of 13