(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