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Author Topic: Talk of the town  (Read 13302 times)

Offline patook

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #20 on: May 11, 2009, 01:00:46 am »
Doesn't your complainer know that your hives are the only thing keeping the deadly killer bees from invading the area?

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #21 on: May 12, 2009, 02:08:57 am »
Since the White House is now a bee yard, who else is thinking that a good bit of pressure on our congressmen and senators might get some sort of federal legislation that would prevent local governments from banning beekeeping?  Of course that would be overstepping the authority of the federal government, but since they already overstep their authority by so much on so many other issues, why not try to get something in there that benefits us?

Offline Shawn

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #22 on: May 12, 2009, 01:31:09 pm »
SgtMaj, Good point about the White House having a beeyard. I totally forgot. I will know when they council meets and they already said I will be invited to the meeting to bring up my objections. I would like to know if anyone here thinks 33 hives on 1 city lot (maybe 150' X 75') in the middle of the city is too many hives. 

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #23 on: May 12, 2009, 01:47:33 pm »
I would like to know if anyone here thinks 33 hives on 1 city lot (maybe 150' X 75') in the middle of the city is too many hives. 

Well I do... I wouldn't have thought they would manage to find enough to forage on in the city to sustain that many hives in one spot... but that's probably not what you meant by the question.  That is probably too many for the neighbors liking, which is where the complaints may be coming from... you might be able to keep them from passing any kind of ordinance if you're willing to make some concessions and maybe cut that number in half to keep the neighbors happier.

Offline Shawn

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #24 on: May 12, 2009, 03:44:00 pm »
It seems there is enough for them forage on because if we are not in a droght all hives with two supers are full of honey. Not sure what the city will do but it will be interesting once the decision is made for either side.

Offline c10250

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #25 on: May 12, 2009, 07:08:16 pm »
I would head it off at the pass.  Help write the ordinance.  Here's one from beesource boards (the admin won't let me post links)

The keeping of honeybees in four (4) beehives or less shall be permitted as an accessory use to a residential principal use on any lot. On any lot of 10,000 square feet in size or larger, more than four (4) beehives may be kept, provided there is an additional lot area of 2500 square feet for each hive. In all instances, there shall be one (1) adequate and accessible water source provided on site and located within fifty (50) feet of the beehive(s). In addition, if the landing platform of a hive faces and is within ten (10) feet of any lot line, there shall be a flight path barrier, consisting of a fence, structure or plantings not less than six (6) feet in height, located in front of the hive.

Offline Shawn

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #26 on: May 18, 2009, 11:37:45 pm »
Ok I talked with the City Administrator today. He siad there was a person in town trying to get a petition together to outlaw bees from the city. The administrator said he was having my boss, the Police Chief, and the Building Code inspector look into what the city can do or if they can say the bees were a nuisance. So far the chief and the code inspector said there is nothing illegal about keeping bees in the city and they can not declare the bees as a nuisance due to the beeks house is in in a zoned commercial area. 

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #27 on: May 19, 2009, 12:21:41 am »
Ok I talked with the City Administrator today. He siad there was a person in town trying to get a petition together to outlaw bees from the city. The administrator said he was having my boss, the Police Chief, and the Building Code inspector look into what the city can do or if they can say the bees were a nuisance. So far the chief and the code inspector said there is nothing illegal about keeping bees in the city and they can not declare the bees as a nuisance due to the beeks house is in in a zoned commercial area. 

Time to do some educating, write a letter to the Editor or the local paper about the amount of food without bees, etc.  Volunteer to help write an ordinance for keeping bees with restrictions on number of hives per lot size by squarefootage, providing a water source, barriers that force bees up when close to sidewalks, etc.  Commercial and Agricultural zoned areas should be exempt from all restrictions except for the squarefootage and water source.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline Bee Happy

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #28 on: May 19, 2009, 01:18:33 am »
Ok I talked with the City Administrator today. He siad there was a person in town trying to get a petition together to outlaw bees from the city. The administrator said he was having my boss, the Police Chief, and the Building Code inspector look into what the city can do or if they can say the bees were a nuisance. So far the chief and the code inspector said there is nothing illegal about keeping bees in the city and they can not declare the bees as a nuisance due to the beeks house is in in a zoned commercial area. 

Time to do some educating, write a letter to the Editor or the local paper about the amount of food without bees, etc.  Volunteer to help write an ordinance for keeping bees with restrictions on number of hives per lot size by squarefootage, providing a water source, barriers that force bees up when close to sidewalks, etc.  Commercial and Agricultural zoned areas should be exempt from all restrictions except for the squarefootage and water source.

...and the commercial guy doesn't get thrown under a bus.
be happy and make others happy.

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #29 on: May 19, 2009, 02:34:14 am »
Ok I talked with the City Administrator today. He siad there was a person in town trying to get a petition together to outlaw bees from the city. The administrator said he was having my boss, the Police Chief, and the Building Code inspector look into what the city can do or if they can say the bees were a nuisance. So far the chief and the code inspector said there is nothing illegal about keeping bees in the city and they can not declare the bees as a nuisance due to the beeks house is in in a zoned commercial area. 

So get a petition together to keep beekeeping legal in the city... I'll bet yours gets more signatures... sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, right? 

I second the bit about the letter to the editor... also try for interviews with the local media/radio.

Offline Jacobs

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #30 on: May 19, 2009, 06:54:24 am »
Do you have natural allies you can enlist in the struggle?  Are there garden clubs or bird watching clubs in your town or county?  They generally understand the value of bees for pollination and production of plants/berries that make their situations better.  In North Carolina we are fortunate to have State inspectors who are very interested in helping beekeepers and are willing to have positive input into oridinance development or modification.  Do any of your universities have bee programs?  They may be willing to supply information/speakers.  You want to pack any meeting with polite and interested supporters.

The president of our local beekeeping organization posts speaking requests on our fourum board.  We try and make sure that every school and every group that requests a speaker (with or without bees in tow) has one come.  The more people that understand the importance of honeybees and the difference between the bees and other bees/wasps, etc., the better.  This is a longer term approach, but one that is likely to pay dividends.


Offline Shawn

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #31 on: May 19, 2009, 11:44:39 am »
All great info. I think Ill try to write a letter to the newspaper and see what happens. The other beek is going to set up a booth at the county fair and Im going to try to help with that. He usually takes his ob hive and sels some honey. Im going to print out a bunch of facts about bees and post them up or give them to him for him to display. Do any of your towns or goverments have their ordianceses posted on the internet? If so can you post their link.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2009, 12:00:16 pm by Shawn »

Online Kathyp

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #32 on: May 19, 2009, 12:01:03 pm »
when you write your letter try to bring it down to the local level also.  when you write about how much of the worlds food production depends on honeybees, it will go through the heads of most city folks.  they believe in the safeway miricle....as in....thier food miraculously appears in safeway, wrapped, prepared, and ready to eat.

try to appeal to the backyard gardener.  point out the increased yield of local stuff that people might grow in your area.  fruit trees, squash, etc.  backyard gardeners already know, but other city folks will find the idea 'charming'.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Shawn

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #33 on: June 17, 2009, 07:35:05 pm »
Out of the blue the city administrator sent an email to the code enforcement about the bees. If a neighbor is able to provide proof (documentation) from a doctor that says the person is "allergic" to bees the city would say the bees were a nuisance. The beekeeper will then have to reduce the number of hives on the property but not necessarily get rid of all hives. My question was how allergic do you have to be for that to take affect. Reduce the number of hives to what? There is no ordiance so Im not sure how this is going to pan out.   

Offline patook

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #34 on: June 17, 2009, 07:47:40 pm »
First, isn't everyone allergic to bees?

Second, time to do splits to get the number of hive up 8-)

Online Kathyp

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #35 on: June 17, 2009, 07:56:39 pm »
Quote
Second, time to do splits to get the number of hive up


great idea.  you probably don't even have to do splits.  just put empty hives up.  the city council is not going to go through your hives!

Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline pdmattox

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #36 on: June 17, 2009, 08:10:14 pm »
You might want to propose a ordinace for them to adopt. Here is the florida model for the ordinace hope it helps.

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantinsp/apiary/beekeep_ord.pdf

Offline joker1656

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #37 on: June 17, 2009, 08:20:40 pm »
Well, I vented in a lengthy post that, fortunately for those that wld have suffered through it, was lost.  Suffice it to say that it appears that their approach is the "Don't confuse me with facts.  My mind is made up."  Typical ignorance by choice.  Sadly,  COMMON sense is so very very rare.  Especially in government. 

Regardless, best of luck, Shawn.  I think "small" decisions like this affect us all eventually.  STAY SAFE!
"Fear not the night.  Fear that which walks the night.  I am that which walks the night, BUT only EVIL need fear me..."-Lt. Col. David Grossman

Offline Shawn

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #38 on: June 17, 2009, 10:40:10 pm »
Thanks for the info.

pdmattox, Thanks for the ordiance. The administrator and the chief of police are both from Flordia so they may adpot the ordiance. The only thing I dont like is the numbers you can have. I only live on two city lots, 115' X 175'. That would mean I could only keep 2, I think.

Offline Shawn

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Re: Talk of the town
« Reply #39 on: June 26, 2009, 09:09:55 am »
And WHAM!  :shock: :shock: The beekeeper was served with a "warning" saying the bees are a nuisance and the beekeeper must reduce his humers from 34 to 3 within 5 days. No ordinance in place, beekeeper was granted a license from the city, talked to city attorney before getting hives, and has water buckets throughout the yard.  :-x :-x

 

anything