The Naperville City Council Tuesday established limits on the number of honeybee hives residents can keep in their backyard based on the size of their property.
Under the new regulations, properties under a quarter acre in size quarter can keep up to three hives, residents with between a quarter acre and half acre can have up to six hives and residents whose property is acre or larger can have up to 10 hives.
The council agreed to change the setback for the hives from the originally proposed 15 feet to five feet at the behest of former Councilman Robert Fieseler, who addressed the council after distributing honey made by his own bees and granola made with the honey to council members.
“A honeybee doesn’t care whether they’re 15 or five or zero or 50 feet away from a property line,” Fieseler said. “They’re going to move just as quickly into wherever they want to forage.”
Councilmen John Krummen and Kevin Coyne voted “no” on the ordinance. Both said they saw no reason to regulate hives.
“I don’t understand why we’re getting into this,” Coyne said. “All we’re doing is adding bureaucracy.”
In accordance with state of Illinois regulations, residents keeping beehives are required to register their hives with the state. The annual registration is free and, once approved, applicants receive a certificate.
Including the required state registration as part of the city ordinance means Naperville can enforce it, Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico said.
The original proposal council members reviewed in October would have limited the number of hives to two regardless of lot size, and would have required residents to install fencing and post signage notifying neighbors of the hives. After hearing comments from several people, including beekeepers, council members questioned if the originally proposed restrictions were too stringent.
Naperville residents who are already keeping honeybees have six months to bring their hives up to code. Honeybee keepers who violate the new rules will be fined between $100 to $500 for each offense.
Councilwoman Patty Gustin asked whether the regulations would keep residents from taking up beekeeping as a hobby.
Fieseler said he does not think the regulations will keep people who are not yet keeping honeybees from wanting to do so.
He added that honeybees often get a bad rap because people confuse them with wasps.
“Most of the time when you see a bee, it’s a wasp,” Fieseler said. “Bees tend to keep to themselves, they just want pollen and nectar.”