Chicken, duck, rabbit and bee amendment falls short

STEVENS POINT — The Stevens Point Public Policy and General Government Committee voted 4-1 on June 8 to reject an ordinance amendment regarding residential chickens, ducks, rabbits, and bees after concerns emerged regarding unclear beekeeping volume restrictions.
The proposed amendment was initially introduced as a minor modification that would grant city staff the authority to issue certain approvals without requiring immediate action from the board.
However, the discussion quickly pivoted to the specific dimensional limits proposed for backyard beehives. Alderperson Lang cited his own experience as a beekeeper and questioned the proposed allowance of four hives at 20 cubic feet each, with 80 cubic feet of bees on a single residential lot. Lang noted that standard Langstroth hive boxes are roughly one cubic foot, and a healthy hive stacked five boxes high is only about the height of an average person. Arguing that 80 cubic feet would be excessive for a standard backyard, Lang suggested reducing the maximum volume to 40 cubic feet for four hives.
Committee members expressed hesitation to alter the limits without knowing the current ordinance rules or how many residents hold active beekeeping licenses.
The committee voted against the ordinance amendment 4-1, however the ordinance amendment will still advance to the Common Council for full approval or denial.