After considering a request to amend city ordinance to permit beekeeping in the city limits, the Powell City Council has decided to leave the law unchanged and continue to prohibit the practice.

Powell resident Steve Nickles made the request in January. He wanted to keep a small number of hives as a hobby, which is permitted in the county and many other communities in Wyoming. Under Powell’s nuisance ordinance, however, the practice is banned.

Over three meetings, the council pondered the pros and cons of permitting non-commercial beekeeping. They looked over ordinances in Casper and Cheyenne, which allow it, and they spoke with their constituents. They also heard from a Wyoming Department of Agriculture beehive inspector and hobbyist beekeeper from the county. 

At its March 16 meeting, the request to amend the ordinance died due to a lack of a motion. The councilors said their decisions were based on feedback from residents.

Nickels said after the meeting that he was “disappointed” in the decision and that a minority of residents’ concerns were not a good reason to prohibit hobbyist beekeeping.

Councilor Scott Mangold said he had spoken to numerous constituents, and two were opposed to any change in the law out of phobias or allergies.

“Most said that they did not mind, but there were a couple — two as a matter of fact from Southside — who were concerned,” he said.

The state inspector had said that hobbyist beekeeping was common throughout Wyoming, and Mangold said he found that “heartening,” as it suggested bee populations were being maintained. Ultimately, though, he felt there was no need to add to residents’ anxiety by permitting more hives within city limits.

“It’s like if someone wanted to put snakes next door to me, I wouldn’t want that,” Mangold said.

Councilor Lesli Spencer said that of several constituents she spoke with, two were “adamantly” opposed; one was a neighbor with a serious allergy to bee stings. Councilor Floyd Young also heard objections from those he spoke to, on the basis of allergies.

Councilor Jim Hillberry said he had been opposed to the move throughout much of the deliberation.

“Just don’t want that opportunity for bees to sting them or children,” Hillberry said.

It was much the same case with Councilor Tim Sapp. He was serving on the council when the ordinance prohibiting the practice was originally passed, and the concerns then were the same as they are now. Otherwise, he had no problem with it.

“I don’t mind bees. I even had a hive or two of my own when I was in the country,” Sapp said.

Mayor John Wetzel thanked the councilors for their due diligence and suggested the council could revisit the issue in a year or two.