# Friend in Dobbs Ferry, NY received notice from Code Enforcement Officer



## xcugat (Mar 4, 2008)

I live in westchester but I have not delt with this--I would have your friend contact the local town board and discuss this--point out how bees are legal in NYC. Also the code violation cited here seems to be misappropriated. The way it is written would make it seem like a ****roach or termite infestation etc rather than a maintained and designed bee hive.


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## cdb 1212 (Jun 14, 2012)

you might want to check with the state dept of agriculture, in ga there is a law 2-14-41.1 that prohibits against restriction of honeybee production or maintenance ( www.gabeekeeping.com) look under ga bee laws. maby the state of ny has something similar.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

You can't fight it if someone is going to complain about your bees. The only recourse is to move the hives.


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

As usual,I disagree with Acebird.You can,and should,fight it.If everyone gave up, and gave in,we wouldn't have the good laws we do in some places.Fight it and if you lose the fight then,and only then,move the bees.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Moving the hive is not giving up. Disposing of the hive would be giving up. Moving the hive avoids a fight you can't win and may avoid more serious problems in the future.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

The people won in NYC.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Acebird said:


> Moving the hive avoids a fight you can't win


Ah, there are examples in the archives here where members did win.


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## GeezLouise (Feb 4, 2012)

The way that was worded, a flower pot would be a source "of insect... harborage" because of the earwigs that like to hide in the dark underneath. Whoever wrote that was clueless. Bet it could be fought in court and won. I wonder who complained? Might be good to work on that too.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

New York has a right to farm law.
Unfortunately, it does not apply on tracts under 7 acres.
I suggest your friend do two things:

For the immediate issue, insist that the Code guy issue a ticket or cease enforcement activity re: the bees. The chances are excellent that the judge will agree that the code is being misapplied, thus establishing judicial precedent that other beekeepers can cite if code enforcement gets over enthusiastic in the future.

Second draft a reasonable beekeeping ordnance and get a member of the town council to sponsor it.
Point out that the bee colonies are present in the town anyway, and feral hives swarm many times per year ... but that with managaed colonies this hazard is greatly reduced and often eliminated.

Also point out that the more managed colonies there are in a given area, the fewer wild ones there are likely to be.

This is my opinion...and if if this doesn't work, I'll refund evey penny you paid for the advice!


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

Code enforcement officers act purely on complaint. I suspect a neighbor doesn't appreciate your bees. Unfortunately, once on the radar or in the system, code enforcement can not ignore violations or their perception and have unlimited resources to enforce requirements. Fortunately, recourse is available without legal fees.

I agree with Beregondo, respond with a letter requesting clarification referencing section and paragraph. That should satisfy the requirement for response. Then request in writing an agenda item on the next council meeting and attache the documents allowing NYC hives, similar ordinances from smaller communities with reasonable placement restrictions and publicly available reports or articles extolling the benefits of bees in an urban environment. Your friend can motion to change the ordinance with "Do we think we're better than New York City?" That will be taken under consideration for discussion at the following monthly meeting or tabled until assigned to committee and recommendations are returned. In the meantime, the hive could remain. Given recent green initiatives, I wouldn't want to sit on a council that eliminates honey bees from the community. 

As an aside, our local township recently enacted a waste ordinance that included a yard waste burning ban. The local fire chief enforced it as a total burn ban and we got a visit while enjoying a back yard camp fire. My wife took the issue to our township solicitor who read the ordinance from a legal perspective. She told the fire chief campfires didn't fall under the constraints of the waste ordinance and we now invite him. You may find similar misapplication since "insect, vermin and rodent harborage" may be more explicitly defined within the code for disease transmission. Like our fire ring, that may end the difficulty.

I also saw on a doomsday or ******* show where someone named their goats which made them pets and not farm animals.

Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Honeypeach (Mar 15, 2012)

throrope said:


> I also saw on a doomsday or ******* show where someone named their goats which made them pets and not farm animals.QUOTE]
> 
> Unfortunately many gov entities have _a priori_ defined sheep, goats, ponies, chickens, etc. as livestock, which doesn't allow individuals to re-purpose them as pets. Some other avenue will probably be more profitable.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Check the local ordinance carefully. Bees are not considered disease carriers and are only a nuisance if people are getting stung (and not always then, either). They should not fall under the "vermin" ordinance for that reason. Those ordinances are to prevent trash and garbage buildup that hosts rats, roaches, and mice, all of which carry disease and cause serious property damage. Bees in well kept hives do not.

Use your best judgement. I'd hold out for keeping them if the complaintant is one of those people who cannot mind their own buisiness and demand the right to spray enormous amounts of pesticides on their yard (they need to get a big city apartment, eh?), but if the complaintant is instead someone with a severe bee sting allergy, it would be much more neighborly to move the hive. Strict liability aside, I'd never keep bees near someone known to be at serious risk from stings.

Insect free yards are not a Constitutional right, they are denial of reality.

Peter


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

This could be a misapplication of a statute. Find the Rule or Regulation, study it, take it to your Lawyer, go in front of the Town Board and ask for a variance. Get exemptions established. Well managed beehives are not the same as rodent infestation or termites. They don't destroy peoples homes or make them inhabitable. That in itself should be grounds for a variance.

Can your friend talk to the Code Enforcement Officer? Is the CEO a reasonable person or just by the book sort?


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## Double D (Feb 12, 2009)

This sounds like a misapplication of the code. It seems the intent of this code would be to prevent people from keeping stacks of tires or other articles on their premises that collect water and serve as a breeding ground for mosquitos. I work in Rockland County and they come around commercial establishments to check for outdoor storage of tires and the like.


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## Aerindel (Apr 14, 2012)

Fight!, Always fight! Even if you lose it will cost them something! If you give up it will just make it easier for them to do it again.


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## RABray (Feb 8, 2011)

Having read the reference, 204-63 for those who go to the site listed above, I would definitely look closer to the motives of this code enforcement officer. My approach to the town board would be to question the appropriateness of this application of this statute and suggest that they either institute an appropriate statute for bees or coach their enforcement officer to be less creative in their interpretations. If this was my hive I would let the town know that they will definitely spend more on legal costs defending this stretch than the enforcement officer makes and suggest they consider acquiring a less creative employee. I really do enjoy munchin on code enforcement officers who abuse their position.


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## woodedareas (Sep 10, 2010)

I am a planning and zoning consultant. I have attempted to respond to a number of these problems but there are two many such problems. Each locality has different local and State laws so there are probably thousands of different ordinances. I would suggest.
1. Contact the State Agriculture Department and see if you are exempt. Often there is a minimum property size requirement. In some instances all agricultural uses are exempt regardless of property size. You will also have to determine if apiaries are considered agriculture in your state.
2. Go to the zoning or building code officer who issued the warning, and ask to review the ordinance, probably the zoning ordinance. It is very important to read the definition of Insect, Rodent, etc. The ordinance (Zoning Or.) normally has a definition section. You may find there are no precise definitions in which case such definitions will not be helpful.
3. If you determine that you are definitely incorrect and in violation ask the mayor, and or city manager if they would allow you you to maintain your yes while a new ordinance is drafted and if they are willing obtain the cooperation from your local bee club and the State. Don't waste time with the inspector as he has no authority.
4. If they permit you a stay, perhaps they can recommend some interim efforts on your part to resolve the problems with the person who filed the complaint. As more persons become interested in beekeeping, more of these problems will surface and it will be too costly to litigate. The best thing to do for new beekeepers is check your local ordinances first.Even if apiaries are permissive, and your bees are perceived to be harmful to adjacent property owners, yo can still be the subject of a nuisance complaint, so don't over do it and be certain to follow setback requirements and all other requirements of the ordinance and provide a continuous source of water.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Tlozo, let us know how your friend makes out in this fight. I guess some people think it is going to be free. I contend that the issue is a neighbor, possibly a friend of the codes officer but that really doesn't matter. Life isn't fair and you certainly are not going to get fairness from our legal system. In the long run it is best to place hives where people are not going to object to them. You want support, you don't want a battle unless that is what you look forward to.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Acebird said:


> snip
> 
> you certainly are not going to get fairness from our legal system.


"WE" are the system. Attitudes like yours help to maintain the "unfairness"...

Thankfully, there are some people that don't shy away from a challenge.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

BeeCurious. Wish I'd said that.


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## dirt road (Jan 4, 2011)

BeeCurious said:


> "WE" are the system. Attitudes like yours help to maintain the "unfairness"...
> 
> Thankfully, there are some people that don't shy away from a challenge.


It can be a lot of fun to speculate about "fighting the system", especially when one is not directly involved. The reality is however, it is almost always a huge PITA to do battle with any bureaucratic entity. Far too often it is simply impossible to convince an idiot with a little bit of authority that he or she could ever be wrong. As some have suggested, check very carefully how the laws, ordinances etc apply to you, then decide if it's really worth it. Try not to tip your hand to the "opponent" until you are very sure of your facts and rights. If you get them stirred up enough, they can sometimes make your victory rather hollow. If after doing your research, it looks like you are on uncertain footing, then following Acebird's advice would definitely be the better way to go. I've fought with bureaucrats several times over the years both at the county and state level, and though I've won more than lost, it's never been "fun".


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

No one needs convincing they are wrong. And if you see them as idiots, then you are an advisery and you will loose. One needs to present a case for being allowed to do something which someone else sees as aviolation of the Code. Show the benefits of having managed colonies in the neighborhood. Show how having a hive in your back yard can be benefitial to the neighborhood. Then ask for considerstion for a variance.

Be prepared for denial, but be upstanding, smart, mature, and respectful. If that doesn't work, and you just have to have bees in your back yard, get a Lawyer.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

BeeCurious said:


> "WE" are the system.


What are you smoking? Even when our constitution was first drafted "we the people" was very exclusive. The more things change the more they stay the same. It is unlikely fairness will ever be attained even if we make it to the Star Trek years.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> Be prepared for denial, but be upstanding, smart, mature, and respectful. If that doesn't work, and you just have to have bees in your back yard, get a Lawyer.


Mark, I never thought of you as a dreamer. Maybe that is good.


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

We the people are called to fight for our rights, we are not called to win.


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

johno said:


> We the people are called to fight for our rights, we are not called to win.


Excellent!I have never considered it that way.I may just have to steal this little jewel.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Acebird said:


> Mark, I never thought of you as a dreamer. Maybe that is good.


I was trying to think of this quote earlier today, but couldn't quite think of it. Fortunately a friend of mine used it in Church this morning. Especially for Acebird, but also in support of the friend whose friend lives in Dobb's Ferry:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

It's being pragmatic and determined, not being a dreamer, Acebird.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

johno said:


> We the people are called to fight for our rights, we are not called to win.


I like it johno.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead


It's a nice quote but basically it is a pipe dream.
There are only two things that accomplish change in any society, large groups or large sums of money. In most cases it is both. History has shown us that fighting has not been very effective, winning is. If you fight a battle you have no chance of winning you give up the chance of fighting one you can.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

You are pessimistic and give up too easily.


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## jaybees (Jun 7, 2010)

. Insects, vermin and rodents.
A. Outdoor premises shall be kept free from sources of insect, vermin and rodent harborage. Where such sources exist, they shall be eliminated.

I think it would be a stretch for code enforcement to try to apply this to a bee hive. I would meet with my council member or any other member before the meeting. Try to explain the ordinance and about bees to them. This will optimize your chances if they have time to think and find you to be personable. Stand up for yourself!


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I give up easily? Never been accused of that.


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## mrobinson (Jan 20, 2012)

This sentence of code truly _needs_ interpretation. It seems to me that the author of the law, in writing the phrase _"insect, vermin and rodent harborage,"_ was envisioning a disgusting situation. A place that badly needs to be cleaned up to get rid of the rats. Does this apply to a hive of honeybees? I'm not persuaded that it was ever intended to.

Obviously, "someone (nearby) _complained,"_ and that _complaint_ is the root source of everything. If you can find out who did it and why, and make peace with that person, you might be able to resolve the whole matter in that way. Otherwise, you might be presenting the codes division with something that they have never had to officially consider before, and that can be an intricate fight ... which still won't address the root cause of the problem, which might just be that your next-door neighbor is afraid of the unknown.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Bring light to the situation.Educate. Illucidate. Dark pessimisum and contempt will bring resistance and denial of what one wishes to continue doing.


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## StevenG (Mar 27, 2009)

Some years ago a neighbor across the street got their shorts in a wad over my bees.... complained to county, couple of deputies showed up. I was polite, respectful, answered all questions, pointed out what I had done to mitigate any nuisance, how the bees were not a nuisance, and my neighbors on both sides and behind me had no problem, just the one across the street who didn't like me. Case won. I did not back down, did not move the bees.

The way my current neighborhood is laid out, I have 4 neighbors whose property abutts mine. One neighbor moved in 2 months ago, renting a decently nice house. As I was unloading 30 supers of honey from my pickup, he walked across the yard, complaining about the thousands of bees in his yard and garage. Wanted to know if there was any spray or powder he could use to keep them out. I went over, found a couple hundred swarming around his plastic trash can. Lifted the lid, and there were three mostly empty soda cans in the bottom. Explained what he could do to deal with the situation. Long story short, he wants my bees gone, I nicely suggested he simply bag his trash. He threatened to call the police, told him we lived in the county, so he'll call the sheriff and his landlord.

I finished unloading the truck, then called the sheriff's dept. explaining the situation, asking for a deputy to come out and check out the situation. An hour later a deputy appeared, we had a nice visit, I explained the situation to him, we walked to my back yard where I had not the 200 hives the neighbor accused me of, but 6. Deputy and I stood about 2' behind the hives, me leaning on one, and he agreed it was the neighbor's problem. Did all the paperwork, deputy mentioned this was the first time anyone had to deal with honeybees, but he saw no problem. I gave him a bear squeeze bottle of honey as he left. Then I went to a store and bought a trail camera to train on the hives.

You can fight, and you can win. Even if he poisons my hives, I'll win - got the evidence, get his money. Get new equipment/bees.
Regards,
Steven


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

Steven G,
That is why I live in the country. The closer proximity you are to other people the more unwarranted drama (theirs) you have to deal with. I like the part about the Sheriff.!! (You know that was fun to say) Maybe you can buy your dirtball neighbor a box of trash bags. Heck maybe even put him in one..

to the original poster of this thread.. Keep the bees they are yours. as usual the govt is just trying to make some $ off you even if it isn't legit , Sounds like your code enforcer is applying the rules incorrectly. If there isn't anything in your local laws etc.. about bees then you could as someone previously said, set a precedent. Sure would help if you knew which neighbor to throw rotten tomatoes at.


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## Beregondo (Jun 21, 2011)

StevenG said:


> You can fight, and you can win. Even if he poisons my hives, I'll win - got the evidence, get his money. Get new equipment/bees.


I'd do all I could to prevent the situation from getting as adversarial as that.

It's one thing to win a judgment in your favor at court.
But despite all the legal tools available to do it, it is often quite another to collect the judgment.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Steven, the hives are in Dobbs Ferry, NY, a village that is a stone throw from the big Apple. You probably can't spit between the houses. Probably also a high rent district. Nothing like Brasher Falls or Utica for that matter and Utica is not a small city.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Acebird said:


> There are only two things that accomplish change in any society, large groups or large sums of money.


Apparently you missed the history lesson on Independance day and the war of 1812 between our countries. Both wars were fought because of what we believed in. Had the war of 1776 between the brits and the colonist not happened, America would still be under British rule for a much longer period. Had the Canadians along with the Indians not fought the Americans in 1812, we would be under the American flag.
In both instances, people fought for what they believed in and apparenly won


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

You think these were small groups with small sums of money? Well, maybe the native Indians...


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Google FiztGibbon and Laura Secord. You will find that the battle was 50 Canadians to 462 Americans. And due to the heroics of one woman, Laura Secord, the invasion was stopped. Laura Secord traveled approximately 20 miles on foot to get a message to FiztGibbons who was the officer incharge at an outpost called Beaver Dams. The Americans planned to suprise invade. The direct route to the outpost was 12 miles. However she took a round about way through the river and rough terraine. En route she encounters a band of 400 Indians who took her to FiztGibbon. Between the time that Laura Secord overheard the plan June 21, 1813, where she left the next morning, and the day of the battle, it was June 24, 1813, only two days which at that point, an American force under Colonel Charles Boerstler was asked to surrender.

Pretty small numbers. One lone woman, who had she done nothing, the Americans would have taken the Niagara peninsula.

So you see, one person can make a difference. All it takes is the courage to do so. Even in insurmountable odds.


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## nutlub (Jun 19, 2012)

Yikes! I only live 30 minutes from Dobs! Note to self: Make sure I give my neighbors honey every x-mas!



Beregondo said:


> New York has a right to farm law.
> 
> 
> For the immediate issue, insist that the Code guy issue a ticket or cease enforcement activity re: the bees. The chances are excellent that the judge will agree that the code is being misapplied, thus establishing judicial precedent that other beekeepers can cite if code enforcement gets over enthusiastic in the future.


Great advice!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Ace"you can't fight city hall"bird, please don't give up fighting against those who would fight against what they see as a societal wrong. Discouraging others make the rest of us encourage them all the more.


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## Chick (May 21, 2009)

You just need to move out of New York.


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## Aerindel (Apr 14, 2012)

> You can fight, and you can win. Even if he poisons my hives, I'll win - got the evidence, get his money. Get new equipment/bees.
> Regards,
> Steven


Great story. I also use the strategy of immediately calling the sheriff anytime one of my neighbors threatens to call the authorities. It immediately puts your neighbors on the defensive and makes you look like the reasonable law abiding citizen who is being threatened by your crazy neighbors.

The thing to remember about fighting is that its not necessarily for your own good that your doing it. Its a sacrifice for a cause and even if you lose you have still done good. The idea that you should only fight battles that you know you will win is what our enemies are relying on. The want us to be too scared of the consequences to even put up a struggle because they know they can't afford to fight every one of us,

And when I say 'Us" I don't just mean beekeepers, I mean anyone who wants to do things for themselves, anyone who wants to make things rather than buy things, anyone who wants to work for themselves.


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## tphank (Jul 5, 2012)

*I'm the 'Friend in Dobbs Ferry, NY'*

Hi:
I am the friend in Dobbs Ferry, NY. I wanted to get as much information together before posting.
THANK YOU for all of your suggestions, I appreciate them!

Here is the story:
My wife won a starter bee hive at a fundraiser this spring. At the same time, our 5th grader was doing a class project on flowers, bees and pollination. So, it would be a great time to start beekeeping. TLozo is a close family friend, and the kids (all 4) have seen his hives and were always interested... 3 1/2 weeks ago (a little late) we populated the hive in the corner of our lot. The hive is BARELY visible from the neighboring lot (a double lot, so the house is farther off). Our and neighborhood kids play soccer, baseball and basketball in our small backyard, but they were all told about the hive. So far, no problems or issues. Honestly, unless you were looking for it you would never see it... The hive is pointed away from our house towards our back boundary, which has a small brook then woods which belong to a boarding school. Before we started, TLozo warned to check our zoning, and we did check for any codes against beekeeping, but only found code which allowed "live chickens, ducks, fowl, pigeons, poultry, rabbits, hares or other animals, including dogs and cats". Who would have thought!

Last week, we received the warning summons: "Inspection Findings: Someone at property has placed a beekeeper's hive at the rear of the property." which would be against the code for Insects, Vermin and rodents "Outdoor premises shall be kept free from sources of insect, vermin and rodent harborage. Where such sources exits, they shall be eliminated."

I started searching online, and found positive local paper references to hives in neighboring villages, but I figured it would be best to hold off contacting the paper until after the board of trustees meeting...

I quickly found a related article www.pastatebeekeepers.org/ pdf/ AreHoneyBeesPollinatorsAndBeneficialInsectsOrPests.pdf from the PA Beekeeper and forwarded it to the Code Enforcement Officer.

I finally got a chance to speak with him this week. He was very friendly and helpful. When I asked him if the kids butterfly baskets would also fall under this ordinance, he told me that he doesn't go checking everyone's back yards for such violations, and that in this case, a neighbor complained. "Two small children, one was stung by a bee and the other is suspected to have a bee allergy." When asked, he told me who called, and it turns out that they don't have small children! Their tneighbor's (two family house) did, but they moved out June 30 because they bought a house of their own in the area!! But that doesn't matter, because someone had complained.... He recommended that I go before the Village Board of Trustees and present my case, and that he would extend the deadline of the warning summons for two days after the meeting (July 10th meeting).

Today, I took my 4 kids (4 1/2 to 12 years old), and took a bunch of pictures of them standing next to the active hive! They loved doing it! They know the rules, and no bees were harmed during the photography!

I then reprinted the above mentioned article and went to my surrounding neighbors. None (except the next door neighbors and their new tenants) even knew about the hive, but were outraged about the complaint and summons.

When I went to speak to the neighbor in question, she acted as if she were surprised about the summons, and wondered what would happen next. During the conversation, she mentioned that our bees must love their large organic lawn because of the clover, and that last year, she was stung by a bee (uncertain when asked for sure) and had to go to the hospital. She even mentioned that we need bees (in general, I can count on the eco friendliness or our village) as there is a shortage... Needless to say, she did not admit anything other than stating that her tenants were concerned about their children before they moved out... (highly unlikely).

Interestingly enough, when I approached the new tenant, he was excited, because his wife spotted the hive from the back yard, and he was hoping to setup his own hive as well! Well, once I showed him the summons, he volunteered to help anyway he could to help save them.

So now I have until Tuesday evening July 10, to prepare a presentation to the Board of Trustees. Not quite sure how to proceed. I will still check with the code officer to see what happens if I don't remove the hive after the deadline? Do I get a ticket to go before a judge??? Hopefully will get a reply tomorrow.

I've had offers from other neighbors to move the hive onto their property where the neighbors in question would not see them...

Again, I appreciate the time and recommendations of everyone who posted! Thanks for a great site!

If anyone has had similar issues and has access to a presentation, I would greatly appreciate any assistance....

"Friend in Dobbs Ferry"


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## DamSutt1986 (May 26, 2012)

Loving all the input in this thread. I like the theory of going to the police before someone complains. For the friends of the OP I would just suggest having as many neighbors as you can come with you to any meetings. Assuming that's not possible, encourage them to write letters to the town board etc. Regarding the situation and their support.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

tphank,
Welcome to beesource.com. I believe if you take what you already have, including your neighbors who like the idea of having beehives in their back yard, in front of the Board, I believe you will be met favorably. Especially if you can have the Code Enforcement Officer present to testify to his experience in your back yard.

In all likelihood your neighbor was not stung by a honeybee. More likely it was a wasp or yellow jacket. Unless she was walking around her yard barefoot and stepped on a honeybee, which I imagine was not the case. Talk to her again and see if she remembers the sting still on her skin or not. If she remembers that there wasn't a stinger left in her skin, then it was not a honeybee. Maybe she would realize her mistake and withdraw the complaint and testify on your behalf. Who knows?

Best of luck and I hopoe you stick with the bees.


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## beekeeperlady (Mar 25, 2009)

this might help.. 
http://www.urbanfarmonline.com/urban-livestock/bee-keeping/unexpected-beehives.aspx
some excerpts from the site.
York Prep School

New York, N.Y.

The bees that live on the rooftop of York Prep School act as pint-sized educators for the 340 students who attend classes on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The hives were installed on the rooftop of the school in 2010 after the ban on beekeeping in New York was lifted. It’s believed to be the only school in Manhattan with beehives (as of October 2010).

Students in grades 6 through 12 have signed up to be part of the York Beekeeping Society. Under the guidance of Andrew Cote, president of the New York City Beekeepers Association, students learn about the environment and science while raising and nurturing bees. 

The first honey harvest yielded 40 pounds of honey. When the hives are in full swing, each one is expected to produce upward of 250 pounds of honey, for a total of 500 pounds. At that time, all of the honey harvested at York Prep School will be sold with funds going to support the school’s scholarship program. 

http://blog.savorique.com/2010/03/facts-about-honey-bees-beehive-and-its-beekeeper/


stress all you can.. that honey bees in a managed hive are not considerd pests like ****roaches.. and also stress how important it is to keep bees due to polination.. and the fact so many bees are dying out..


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