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and younger bees will remain in the hive and the previous queen and older bees will swarm to find a new hive. Requeening by the beekeeper will help prevent swarming; therefore, staff is proposing that the hive be requeened once every two years. K. Upon securing a beekeeping permit, an inspection of the site and hives by the City's code enforcement officer, animal services officer, or their designee (collectively the inspector), is required at least one week, but no later than three weeks, after bringing the bees on-site. For such inspections, beekeeper shall be at the site to meet inspector. Staff analysis: Staff is proposing that the hives be inspected by the City's code enforcement officer after a beekeeping permit is granted in order to ensure that the beekeeper is meeting the performance standards (i.e., amount of hives, setbacks, flyway barrier, water source). Because there is a relatively high barrier to entry associated with a new beekeeping operation (acquiring bee hives, beekeeping equipment, and bees may cost upwards of $1,000), the City does not expect a large number of beekeeping applications. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION On January 28, 2015, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the proposed PMC amendment included in Attachment 1. Draft minutes from the meeting are included as Attachment 3. Three members of the public spoke, all in support of the proposed amendments. The Planning Commission discussion covered several aspects of the proposed PMC amendment, including the technical expertise required to undertake the site inspection that would be required by the PMC amendment; the size and configuration of typical hives; and fees. In recommending approval of the proposed PMC amendment, Planning Commission made two additional recommendations (which are incorporated into the draft ordinance in Attachment 1): a) In section 18.103.080, modify subsection (I) to state: "The maximum height of a hive, including the stand, shall not exceed four feet." b) In section 18.103.080, create a new subsection (L) that states: "Notwithstanding the standards set forth above, the Zoning Administrator (or his or her designee) has discretion to approve additional hives and/or hives in excess of 4 feet in height if the size, topography, or other physical conditions of the lot can accommodate such hives." DISCUSSION Staff is in support of the proposed PMC amendments and believes that beekeeping can be undertaken safely in accordance with the performance measures included in the amendments. In general, many cities in California and throughout the U.S. permit beekeeping, and staff has identified few reported problems. The cities of Livermore and Fremont have had regulations in place for beekeeping in residential zoning districts for a few decades. Both cities require a fanciers permit prior to keeping bees, secured through their respective police departments. Fremont reported one incident in the last seven years where a beekeeper stopped maintaining the hive and the bees swarmed, but people were not stung. Livermore reported no incidents, likely a function of a beekeeping ordinance that restricts beekeeping to only a few properties. The cities of Napa, San Ramon, and Santa Monica have adopted regulations in the last one to five years to allow beekeeping in Page 8 of 9