Ypsilanti City Council debates beekeeping in the city
Much like Ypsilanti's new chicken ordinance, a proposal to allow beekeeping in the city started with one resident.
After Lisa Bashert was cited for keeping a hive of honeybees on her Grant Street property, she asked the Ypsilanti City Council to allow residents to keep bees.
The City Council is considering that measure, but still has to iron out the details.
Earlier this year, Ypsilanti agreed to allow residents to keep chickens on their property. Ypsilanti began debating chickens after resident Peter Thomason and the city fought over the chickens, rabbits and goats he kept on his property.
The Ypsilanti City Council is modeling its beekeeping ordinance on similar ordinances from other communities. The proposed ordinance would allow households to keep two honeybee hives.
The council was set to vote on a first reading of the ordinance Tuesday until council members began questioning the details. The council ultimately agreed to hold off on a first reading until the language is fine-tuned.
Council Member Peter Murdock wondered whether bees would be permitted at multiple unit buildings. Council Member Lois Richardson worried about liability issues, such as residents getting stung by bees from a neighbor's hive.
Bashert insisted honeybees rarely sting unless they're stepped on and suggested Richardson was getting them mixed up with more aggressive species like hornets or wasps.
"I know the difference between a honeybee and a wasp," Richardson said.
Other council members said keeping bees is a good idea simply because they're in danger. Bodary said honeybees are vital for pollinating crops, but many hives are dying off from infections. He said it could be catastrophic for the country's food supply if the trend continues.
"The whole agriculture system could collapse (without honeybees)," Bodary said.
Bashert said up to one in six hives in the U.S. collapsed in the last few years. She said one theory is that they're getting contaminated from chemicals and added having them in the city would allow them to use a variety of flowers and plants to make pollen from without the dangers of heavy agricultural chemicals.
Bashert, a member of the Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers Association, said beekeeping isn't for everyone, and only a few people would likely take it up if it's allowed in the city.
"People don't go into beekeeping lightly," Bashert said.
The council plans to revisit the issue at its next meeting.
David Wak is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Lisa Bashert
Fri, Oct 23, 2009 : 5:54 p.m.
If honeybee hives remain outlawed, only unmanaged colonies will remain in the city -- in walls, in abandoned buildings, in compost bins, etc. Unmanaged honeybees are not what we want. We want to allow people to have the benefit of honeybees, harvesting honey and beeswax, while providing much-needed pollination, caring for small holdings of endangered bees, and offering services to their neighbors (like removing swarms and distinguishing wasps/hornets/bees). What's next, outlawing bare feet so that no one will ever be stung again? Issuing little registration tags to each honeybee so we can assign liability? Honeybees forage 1 to 7 miles from the colony -- just how does city council propose that we assign responsibility for a naturally occurring insect in a 4 square-mile city? Whether we outlaw them or not, honeybees are here. Allow beekeepers to manage them!
AndyYpsilanti
Thu, Oct 22, 2009 : 10:39 a.m.
Wow, Blue32. First, I live downtown. Yes I am in ward 3; by half a block. Ypsi is a small town. I think I have every right to be concerned that I go to more city council meetings than one our city council members. Check the records. The woman has attended less than 6 council meetings since this spring. She missed the last stratigic budget session. This is an ongoing pattern. And what do I have to do with the Frenches? I've met them. I've been to their resturaunts. I've worked with them on some events. Half of Ypsilanti, and certainly anyone who is involved in civic events, has. I've given my council members endless amounts of grief when they have done things that I feel are not in the best interest of Ypsilanti. And that is what it's all about, right? Or would you like to argue that the Mayor-Pro-Tem not showing up to do the job she was elected to do is in the best interest of the city?
HappySenior
Thu, Oct 22, 2009 : 6 a.m.
If a bee is going to sting someone, does it really make a difference if the bee is home-raised or living in the wild? Beekeeping is another way of connecting to the earth and eating local. There are plenty of gardens with flowers chosen because the bees like them. People avoid using chemicals in their yards that harm wildlife, including bees. Allowing beekeeping in the city is just one more way of honoring a simple life.
goblue32
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 : 9:48 p.m.
@AndyYpsilanti - Stay in the French quarter, the family does not run the city.
pseudo
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 : 8:34 p.m.
I don't know so much about the gay-bashing incident but in the past the Ypsi City Council has been wonderful on that issue with one, maybe two exceptions. I guess this new group is back to some really old baloney. @comments about Ward 1 representation: its been a problem for years and from what I can tell, just showing up doesn't equate representing your constituents well, if at all.
Otto Mobeal
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 : 6:21 p.m.
Bring on the bees! Bees are wonderful! They aren't hornets, wasps, yellow jackets, etc. etc. People shouldn't be afraid, they aren't aggressive. Plus we need then for creating food.
AndyYpsilanti
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 : 4:17 p.m.
It was Mayor-Pro-Tem Swanson-Winston, or as I like to call her "Mrs. I hardly ever show up to city council" who posed the liabillity issue. Specifically, she wanted to know if the city would be held liable if someone was stung by a bee. By that logic, the city would be liable if someone got bit by a dog, because the city allows its residents to own dogs. You can't make this suff up, folks. Seriously, Ypsi ward 1, take a look at your representation. One is at the meetings, participating and asking valid questions. One not so much.
pseudo
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 : 3:52 p.m.
Apparently the counsel members are willing to fuss about the liabilities with honey bees (and obviously don't know much about them) but are more than willing to cut bus service to their constituents with very little real discussion. Silly. Bring on the bees, the gardens (flower and veggie) need them. Ypsilanti could use a little more sweetness hanging around!