Where to keep bees or who else has a "HOA"?

[The Bees Ankles]

Oh dear bee loving people everywhere can you help me find a way to keep bees? My yard is perfect for bees except, I happen to live in a "townhome" which means I share a wall of my house with a neighbor and my other neighbor's dwelling is only about 10 feet from mine. We all have 6 foot fences but the real killer is the dreaded HOA, a Home Owner's Association. Stupid me, I thought it would be okay when I bought the place and that cooler heads would save the day and dissolve the HOA once the developer had sold all the units or at the very least that we would meet regularly and discuss the absurdities of the original document and make amendments, but NOOOOO, we must abide by the document however stupid it is so that we can maintain our property values. I am so stupid it amazes me that I've lived this long.
Anyway, now I have bee fever. I've got this bee heaven backyard that feral bees liked so much earlier this spring that they settled into an upside down clay pot. At that point in time, having heard all the media hype over AHBs in recent years, I was somewhat intimidated by the bees and called a local live bee removal fellow (if he's reading this he probably knows who he is) and he took away the little ladies, pot and all. Oh how lucky I was to have free bees but I figured the neighbors would turn me in to the HOA, aka Gestappo, and that would be just one more strike against me. You know, someone in these neighborhoods is always keeping score. In fact one of the ladies on the "board" was complaining to me just this afternoon that my new next door neighbor's husband "seems to go around without a shirt a lot", "my other next door neighbor's husband does the same thing" I said. I wonder if the heat has something to do with it or is it just a guy thing? But I digress.
Does anyone out there have any suggestions about how to go about finding a place to keep some bees? I know my yard is good and would be nice to have them so close to keep an eye on things but I really need another place. Any ideas?
Thanks!

[FRAMEshift]

Yeah, I avoid those HOA complications like the plague.  Has someone complained about your bees or are you just being passive-aggressively pro-active?   :-D

You can find a friend who owns their land and see if they would like to share in the melliferous  miracle. 

And/or you could put an observation hive inside your house.  I don't think anyone would notice or complain about a few bees coming and going if you put the entrance out of sight, behind a bush or something.

[Kathyp]

if you have some ag land close by check with owners.  i get calls all the time from people who want to host hives.  it's kind of a pain to have to travel to care for them, but it might be an option.

[Dogwood]

Did you see "The Godfather"? That might give you some idea how to handle unreasonable people in positions of authority. Only instead of finding a horse's head in their beds, it will be a beehive.

[kingfisherfd2]

If you have an attached Garage, you might be able to drill a hole for exterior access and connect the hive to the outside with a length of PVC Piping.   

[vmmartin]

Hidden bee hive. Hmmm sounds neet but I bet the HOA would view it like it was a grow room in the basement.  Move to the country where you can pee off your own porch if ya want to. :-D

[danno]

I would be a HOA's worst nightmare!!!   The observation hive would give you your bee fix.  I have one in my basement office and they are really very fascinating.    As for finding a place near you all I can say is these days with all the news hipe almost everyone wants bee's.    

[luvin honey]

I don't have a response, but can I say I love your screen name? One of my favorite phrases has always been "That's just the bee's knees!", but I never considered their ankles :D

[sc-bee]

Trying to get around the HOA is probably a lost cause. After you set up they will probably take a vote for you to remove them if there are already not restriction on bees.

Feel the waters if you can, but I would not try to hide them ---- word is sure to most likely get out. What are other areas like close to you where you may have a hive. Maybe friends not in townhouses etc.

Any folks close by with a small plot of land or larger yard with a garden. That is a good shot!

[The Bees Ankles]

I guess I was a little stressed yesterday just thinking about the promise of bees and the HOA spoiling all the fun. But I'll find a way to get some bees somewhere, probably not here because I don't want to get sued, but some where!