The keeping of honeybees, of the European species Apis mellifera, except for Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier, shall be permitted as an accessory use in any R-1, R-2, and R-5 Zoning District or in any Agricultural Overlay Zoning District, subject to the following conditions and limitations:
A. Number Of Beehives: Two (2) full beehives ("hives") and two (2) "nucleus hives" shall be permitted on residential lots and one additional beehive and one additional nucleus hive shall be permitted for each additional ten thousand (10,000) square feet of property over 40,000 square feet. For the purposes of this Section, a "full hive" is any hive which exceeds five (5) frame(s), and a "nucleus hive" is any hive which consists of five (5) frames or less.
B. Location And Setbacks:
1. Setbacks To Property Lines: Hives and related structures that form an apiary shall be located a minimum of thirty feet (30') from any adjoining driveway, any improved easement for purposes of ingress or egress, or any public or private road or street right-of-way and shall be no closer to side or rear lot lines than ten percent (10%) of the average width of the lot, provided, however, that in no event shall hives be located in any front yard. In the case of an unimproved right-of-way, this provision may be modified by the Building and Zoning Officer in consultation with the appropriate local roadway authority.
2. Setback To Structures: Hives shall be located a minimum of thirty feet (30') from dwellings, nonresidential buildings, patios, porches, gazebos, decks, swimming pools, or permanently affixed play equipment, on an adjacent property but may be within thirty feet (30') of storage structures such as garages and sheds.
3. Signage: A sign, identifying the presence of beehives on the property shall be posted so as to be reasonably visible within close proximity of the apiary.
C. Management Practices:
1. Water Supply: A supply of water shall be continuously available and located within the parcel. Water supply shall be designed to allow bees to access water. Water requirement shall be in effect from April 1 through November 20, or any and all days on which the temperature exceeds fifty five degrees (55°) for three (3) consecutive days.
2. Requeening: In any instance in which a hive exhibits unusually aggressive characteristics, as verified by an Illinois apiary inspector, the property owner shall destroy, move to another parcel or requeen the hive within fourteen (14) days of said verification.
3. Movable Combs: All honeybees shall be kept in hives with removable combs, which shall be kept in good repair and usable condition.
D. Registration Fees: An initial non-refundable registration fee and thereafter an annual registration fee shall be required for beekeeping and apiaries as specified from time to time in Section 1-10-7
of this Village Code. (Ord. 2023-O-06, 3-2-2023)V