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For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
APIARY. Colonies, hives and other equipment associated with honey bees assembled in one location for beekeeping operations: also known as a BEE YARD.
BEE. All life stages of the common domestic honey bee, apis mellifera species.
BEE DISEASES. Any infectious or contagious diseases of bees as specified by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, including, but not limited to, American foulbrood.
BEEKEEPER. A person who owns or has charge of one or more colonies of bees, or is requesting to own or take charge of one or more colonies of bees, and has demonstrated that, he or she has obtained formal education or sufficient practical experience to act as a BEEKEEPER.
COLONY. The entire honey bee family or social unit living together or an aggregate of honey bees in a hive consisting principally of workers, but having, when perfect, one queen and at times many drones, including the brood.
EXOTIC STRAIN OF BEES. Any developed strain of bees not known to be present ordinarily in the state as specified by the Department of Agriculture.
FLYWAY BARRIER. An obstacle designed to cause bees to fly upward after exiting the hive and directing them away from neighboring and adjoining areas inhabited by humans and at least six feet in height.
HIVE. A frame hive, box hive, box, barrel, log gum, skep or any other receptacle or container, natural or artificial, or any part thereof, which is used or employed as a domicile for bees or the shelter housing a colony of bees including the combs, honey and pollen. HIVE also includes the colony of bees where indicated by the context.
NUISANCE. Bees, colonies or items of bee equipment where bee diseases, bee parasites or exotic strains of bees exist; or hives that cannot be readily inspected; or colonies that are not registered.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017)
(A) No person shall acquire, keeps or stock honey bees in the city without being a beekeeper and obtaining a valid permit issued by the Community Development Committee.
(B) A permit shall be valid for one year unless revoked pursuant to this section. Permits must be renewed annually and expire on December 31 of each year.
(C) A permit provides permission for honey beekeeping at the address listed in the permit application only and by the permit holder only, and shall not be transferred to any other person or location.
(D) The beekeeper must notify the Building Department when a property is going to be vacated. Upon vacating a property, the beekeeper must remove all apiary structures and bees from the property.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017) Penalty, see § 10.99
(A) Submissions for permits shall include the following:
(1) Completed application;
(2) Application fee;
(3) Copy of inspection certificate required by the Illinois Bees and Apiaries Act;
(4) Copy of registration documentation or certificate issued by the Illinois Department of Agriculture;
(5) Adequate proof demonstrating the applicants training ands experience. An applicant who fails to demonstrate the requisite training or experience will not be issued a bee keeping permit. The determination of whether the applicant has the requisite training and experience will be at the sole discretion of the Committee; and
(6) Proof of notification to neighboring properties as set forth in § 90.118.
(B) Permit renewal requires submission of a completed application accompanied with the renewal fee. A late fee of two times the application fee along with the application fee shah be collected from every owner or keeper of honey bees if the owner or keeper fails to obtain a permit prior to acquiring the honey bees.
(C) Prior to issuance of a permit, the applicant shall submit to an inspection and demonstrate that all requirements of this section are met.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017)
(A) Before an initial or renewal permit is issued, applicants shall furnish to the city, copies of written proof containing the neighbor’s signed acknowledgment of receipt of notice. In the absence of a signed receipt, the applicant may submit copies of notices mailed to neighboring properties via certified mail with delivery confirmation or return receipt requested.
(B) Notices shall be provided to all residents of abutting and adjoining or diagonally abutting properties, including those across an alley, and shall inform such residents that the applicant has applied for a permit hereunder, and informing that any written objections to issuance of the permit should be submitted to the city within 14 days of receipt of the notice.
(C) The city shall consider all objections and may deny a permit request based on neighbor objections. An applicant, if not the property owner, shall obtain the written consent of the property owner where the apiary shall be kept.
(D) An applicant must submit a scaled dimensional drawing, showing all adjoining structures and property lines together with the proposed apiary.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017)
(A) A permit authorizes the keeping of honey bee hives on a premises, provided the following requirements are met.
(1) No more than four hives are allowed on one premises.
(2) No hive shall exceed 20 cubic feet in volume.
(3) Honey bees are limited to eastern European races of apis mellifera.
(4) A minimum six-foot high fly way barrier, consisting of either or some combination of closed fence, semi-solid fence, dense vegetation, building, other solid flyway barrier or other barrier which the city deem adequate, between the hive(s) and the property lines for all hives located within 20 feet of the property line. A flyway barrier is not required if the hive or hives are kept at least ten feet off the ground.
(5) A constant and adequate supply of water shall be provided within the enclosure to prevent bees from seeking water sources at a nearby property. The water source shall be designed to allow honey bees to access water by landing on a hard surface. This provision shall not apply during the winter.
(6) All honey bees shall be kept in hives with removable frames which shall be kept in sound and usable condition.
(7) All hives and related structures that form the apiary shall be located a minimum of ten feet from the all property lines, unless the owner of the adjoining property has provided written permission for closer placement.
(8) All hives and related structures that form the apiary shall be located a minimum of 20 feet from all public sidewalks, and may not be located in front or side yards.
(9) Hives shall be located a minimum of 25 feet from a neighbor’s primary dwelling on any adjoining lots unless the owner of the adjoining property has provided written permission for closer hive placement.
(10) No honey bees shall be kept on any premises which is a multi-tenant facility or contains two or more dwelling units.
(11) Hives shall be actively maintained. Hives not under active human management and maintenance shall be dismantled or removed by the most recent permit holder or property owner.
(12) In any instance in which a hive exhibits unusually aggressive characteristics it shall be the duty of the beekeeper to destroy or re-queen the hive. Queens shall be selected from stock bred for gentleness and non-swarming characteristics.
(B) In addition to compliance with the requirements of this section, no beekeeper shall keep a hive or hives that cause any unhealthy conditions or interfere with the normal use and enjoyment of human or animal life of others, any public property or property of others.
(C) The operations shall at all times comply with applicable laws including, but not limited to, the Illinois Bees and Apiaries Act, being 510 ILCS 20/1 et seq., in its current form and as amended.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017) Penalty, see § 10.99
(A) Personnel responsible for the enforcement of local ordinances may enter upon any property required to hold a permit in this section at all reasonable times to inspect the premises, obtain photographs or take any other action deemed necessary to properly enforce the provisions of this section.
(B) If such inspection reveals any hive kept, in violation of any requirements enumerated herein, in addition to any other remedy available under the this code, city personnel may order the violation corrected within 14 days.
(1) Notice of violation shall be mailed to both the permit holder and the property owner on which the apiary is located.
(2) If the permit holder fails to correct the violation within 14 days, the hive in violation may be destroyed and/or removed from the municipality by the city at the expense of the permit holder or property owner.
(C) The Building Department, shall have authority to abate nuisances as defined by this section and related to the operation or presence of an apiary and obtain any relief or costs allowed by law.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017)
A permit shall be subject to revocation upon failure to comply with any provisions of this section, or if the city determines that continued maintenance of the hive constitutes a reasonable threat to the general health or safety of others. Once a permit is revoked, a permit shall not be reissued for the same premises.
(Ord. 2017-005, passed 2-27-2017)
KEEPING OF POULTRY
No person shall own, keep, maintain or harbor poultry within the city without obtaining an annual license therefor.
(Ord. 2020-031, passed 8-25-2020) Penalty, see § 10.99
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