An ordinance that would have introduced urban agriculture into Casper will not move forward.

During its Tuesday work session, Casper City Council voted down proposed municipal code amendments that would have permitted residents to legally keep honey bees and chickens on property within city limits.

In the proposed ordinance, residents would have been able to keep up to five hens or up to eight honey bee colonies per acre after obtaining a license from Metro Animal Control and permission from surrounding neighbors.

Ward III councilman Paul Bertoglio says it’s best to keep certain aspects of the country away from the city.

“Most people that live in cities do not want to be in an area where there are chickens, and bees, and ducks, and other animals that you’d typically find in a ranch setting,” Bertoglio said.

The ordinance failed by a narrow 5-4 margin on Tuesday.

Bertoglio, along with councilmen Paul Meyer, Steve Cathey, Craig Hedquist and Mayor Kenyne Schlager voted against the proposed municipal code amendments. Councilmen Bob Hopkins, Keith Goodenough, Daniel Sandoval and Charlie Powell favored moving the ordinance forward.

Cathey initially supported the idea to allow urban agriculture in Casper during a work session in April.

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