How many chickens can I have now?

Up to 6, once the City Council approves it on August 3. They have to stay in the coop or run.

Can I really sell my eggs?

Yes, a limited number, right from your property. It's part of the new rules.

Do I still need a permit for bees?

Not the long kind. Beekeeping moves to a simple administrative approval instead of a full permit process.

What changed with decks?

The rear setback dropped to 10 feet, so decks are easier to fit on small lots. Older lakeside homes got a break too.

When does this take effect?

After the City Council votes on August 3, 2026. The July 23 vote was just a recommendation.

Lakeville Zoning Update 2026: Chickens, Bees, Decks

TLDR

Lakeville updates its zoning rules every year. The 2026 version passed the Planning Commission July 23.
You can now keep up to 6 chickens and sell a small number of eggs.
Beekeeping got way easier — no more long permit process.
Small backyard? The deck setback dropped to 10 feet.

Every year, Lakeville dusts off its rulebook and cleans it up. It's not exciting stuff, but some of it actually touches your daily life. This year's update — the 26th in a row — passed the Planning Commission on July 23. The data center rules got the headlines, but here are the changes real homeowners will notice.

Chickens: Now You Can Have 6

Backyard chickens are a hit in Lakeville. The new rules bump the limit up to 6 birds per property. There's a catch, though — the chickens have to stay inside their coop or run. The city says most chicken complaints come when a bird wanders into a neighbor's yard. The old rule said coops had to be built from wood. Now other weather-resistant materials are fine. And here's the fun part: you can now sell a limited number of eggs from your property.

Bees: Much Less Paperwork

Want to keep bees? It used to mean a full permit process — a trip to the Planning Commission and a City Council vote. The new rules make it an administrative review instead. Same safety standards, way less hassle. You just get it approved at the counter.

Decks: A Break for Small Yards

This one's practical. As new homes got built on smaller lots, backyards shrank. The old setback rules made it hard to fit a deck. So the city dropped the rear setback for decks to 10 feet. That still leaves room for drainage and a little yard, but it means more homeowners can actually build the deck they want. There's also a new break for older lakeside homes: houses built before 1971 can add a deck without a variance, as long as they meet the water-distance rules.

Signs, Parking, and Downtown Homes

A few more changes worth a mention. The city cleaned up sign rules for shopping centers and churches. It scrapped a cap on parking spaces it added last year that turned out to be a headache for businesses. And a home with a "generational" second living space no longer needs a garage stall — just an off-street parking spot. Downtown got some love too: single-family homes in areas planned for future apartments can keep improving their homes instead of being stuck in limbo.

Non-Conforming Lots: In Plain English

Here's a tricky one made simpler. Some older lots are smaller than today's rules allow. The update says if a lot has city sewer and meets at least 66% of the size rules, the owner can still build. If not, they'd need a variance. Lots without sewer need at least 1 acre and room for a septic system. Basically, the city gave older, oddly sized lots a clearer path to build. You can dig into the full city code if you want the fine print.

The Bottom Line

None of this is final yet. The City Council takes it up on August 3. But if you've been eyeing a few hens, a beehive, or a new deck, the rules are about to get friendlier. Commissioner Kuza put it well — the city's rules are "a living document" that gets tuned up every year as the community changes. Lakeville has changed a lot lately, from new shopping to new parks.