Burnsville City Council: Not on the Beekeeping Bandwagon—Yet

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When presented with a request to legalize beekeeping in Burnsville, Mayor Elizabeth Kautz had just one thing to say: "Remember the chickens?"

The chickens in question—Sha Kota, Rachel, Tilly and Miss Marilyn Monroe—spawned a small furor in 2009 when their owner Stefan Remund, then 11, petitioned the council to permit fowl within city limits. At the time, chickens were outlawed in Burnsville due to concern over the spread of bird flu. After receiving hundreds of e-mails in support of the boy and his brood, the council relented and altered city code to allow for the birds. 

Since then, other cities have followed suit in an effort to accommodate a growing movement toward urban agriculture. In 2012, the newest urban-ag trend is bees: Beekeeping is going through a boom, in part because world bee populations are going through a precipitous decline (scientists are still debating the cause of the die-off). The crisis caught the attention of one Burnsville resident and would-be beekeeper, who asked the council to consider a change to the ordinance.

At a worksession on June 12, Kautz agreed that the issue was an important one, but said that the council had too much on their agenda to think about it.

"We need the bees, but at this point, if we enter into this it's a lot of work for our staff," Kautz said, adding that the city would also have to work on educating the public because many are afraid of the insects. "We are not equipped at this time to address the issue." 

The rest of the council met the proposal with reluctance. Council Member Bill Coughlin responded with just one word: "Pass." Others expressed interest, but agreed that with budget negotiations coming up they would be crunched for time.

"I think it's a safe hobby, but I don't think we have time for it with other budget things on the table," said Council Member Dan Gustafson.

Council Member Dan Kealey agreed.

"Nature stops if the bees don't pollinate. This is very concerning," Kealey said. "But I don't sense there's a lot of support to spend time on it now. We may need to be open-minded to it in the future."

The popularity of beekeeping is on the rise in Minnesota. This year, officials saw a four-fold year-over-year increase in the number of beekeeping permits requested in Minneapolis, which legalized the practice in 2009. Other cities, , are considering similar measures. In light of growing interest, the Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association has developed a model ordinance for cities to use as a template. 

If Burnsville allows beekeeping, it will be one of the first cities in Dakota County to explicitly legalize the practice. Beekeeping is not addressed in Lakeville or Apple Valley's city code. In Savage and Eagan, bees are considered farm animals and their cultivation is allowed only if the property has been grandfathered in as agricultural land. These cities also make exceptions for those operating a zoo, veterinarian clinic, scientific research laboratory or a licensed show or exhibition.

Kautz suggested that the council reconsider it at a later date, perhaps at an all-day worksession.