LBReport.com

News / Extended Audio

Council Votes 9-0 To Direct Preparation Of Ordinance Reducing Restrictions On Keeping Multiple Bee Hives, Chickens, Goats; Measure Coming To Two Council Enactment Votes Is Slightly Revised From Narrowly-Failed 2013 Measure


LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. Support independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.

(June 24, 10:05 a.m.) -- As seen LIVE on LBREPORT.com, the City Council voted 9-0 to approve "urban agriculture" changes to city law which, when put into formal ordinance form by the City Attorney and if approved in two more Council votes, will reduce current restrictions on keeping multiple bee hives, chickens and goats.

Among Vice Mayor Lowenthal's co-agendizers on the item was Councilman Daryl Supernaw, who prior to taking office in May 2015 chaired the Council's Sustainability Advisory Commission which held several hearings on the issue before the item was sent to a Council Committee chaired by Lowenthal. Councilwoman Lowenthal then held multiple hearings on the proposal before bringing the measure to the full Council in July 2013. At that time, the proposal drew sharply split public testimony and failed passage on a 4-3 vote (five votes needed for passage).

After Supernaw's election in May 2015 [not supported by any Council incumbents] and with a new Council majority (took office in July 2014), Vice Mayor Lowenthal brought the issue back and the new Council approved it without dissent. Councilman Supernaw's predecessor, former 4th dist. Councilman/now-Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnell, had opposed easing restrictions on bees and goats.

[Scroll down for further.]




Vice Mayor Lowenthal's June 23, 2015 agendizing memo verbally camouflaged the item's subject matter (listing it as "Request the City Attorney bring an ordinance within 30 days to amend Title 6 of the City's Municipal Code based on previous draft language developed in consultation with members of the community, Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, Office of Sustainability and City Attorney's office (attached)." To view the text of the proposed ordinance as brought to the Council by the four agendizers, click here. [The City Clerk's office indicates that Vice Mayor Lowenthal asked that a "revised attachment" be distributed on this item; the following link is to a document marked "rev": click here. .]

[Scroll down for further.]

Advertisement

Advertisement

Long Beach residents are already allowed to keep chickens, goats and bees but with a number of restrictions, including properly line set-backs, making it especially difficult to comply with the restrictions in some densely populated parts of the city.

Before taking public testimony on the measure to ease those restrictions at last night's Council meeting (June 23), various Councilmembers (beyond the four agendizers) voiced support, joined by Mayor Garcia [who supported the measure in 2013 as a voting Councilmember/Vice Mayor]. Councilmembers posed questions to city staff, some of which seemed framed to counter issues likely to be raised by opponents. Asked about bees by Councilwoman Suzie Price, a city staffer replied that the city already has bees.

[Neither Price nor other Councilmembers pursued the issue further; in a small percentage of people, a bee sting can trigger an anaphylactic reaction, a condition requiring immediate medical attention that is potentially life threatening.]

Councilman Roberto Uranga was more persistent, inquiring about other public health issues before ultimately voting in favor.

Following Council colloquy in support, 14 public speakers testified in support, 2 in opposition (one of whom voiced concern for the treatment of animals and costs for Animal Care Services enforcement.)

For quick load audio of the proceedings, click here.

Some ordinance supporters objected to a provision in the proposed text that would prohibit residents from sharing or trading eggs from their chickens; in response, Vice Mayor Lowenthal made a floor motion to remove that provision, which means in the final ordinance text, residents will be allowed to share/trade eggs from their chickens. In response to a Council inquiry, City Attorney Charles Parkin indicated that slaughtering animals is separately forbidden by existing city ordinances except in areas in which it's specifically allowed by existing zoning.

After the new provisions approved by the Council on June 23 are put into formal ordinance form by the City Attorney's office, the measure will return to the Council for two required enactment votes [when some provisions can be changed if a Council majority agrees.]

[Scroll down for further.]

Advertisement

Advertisement

[Scroll down for further.]

Advertisement


Advertisement



blog comments powered by Disqus

Recommend LBREPORT.com to your Facebook friends:


Follow LBReport.com with:

Twitter

Facebook

RSS

Return To Front Page

Contact us: mail@LBReport.com







Adoptable pet of the week:






Carter Wood Floors
Hardwood Floor Specialists
Call (562) 422-2800 or (714) 836-7050


Copyright © 2015 LBReport.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use/Legal policy, click here. Privacy Policy, click here