I have served as president of the Long Island Beekeepers which seems
to cover New York City and east.  We have had beekeepers keeping bees
in Manhatten on the top of a five story building.  ( I understand
harvesting honey was a chore because his apartment was on the first
floor and there was no elevator.  And I think some of my yards are
difficult to get to.....)  Other beekeepers in Queens county (a part
of New York) keep them on the roofs of their house - flat roof row
houses.  I have seen special decks on garage roofs.  The most unusual
setup I have seen was about twenty colonies in the middle of town on
the second floor of a garage.  They were inside with runways out.  The
room had open windows and cracks in the wall for stray bees to get
out when working them and they would go back in the runways.  They
were ringed around the room so that the whole periphery of the garage
had bees coming and going.   There was no problem from the bees and
neighbors.  People two houses away didn't even know they were there
unless told.  (the Ford dealer nearby complained once about yellow
spots on his new cars)
 
Relative to kids...  I take the stand that an educated neighbor is the
best neighbor.  I show the bees to the neighbors on a nice day.  The
adults find it interesting.  The kids are fascinated!  I get repeat
visits to "help" with the bees.  I demonstrate the proper removal
method for stings by picking up a bee and forcing it to sting my
hand.  I then show them that when the bee is ripped away the stinger
keeps digging in and pumping.  I then scrape it out and explain that
Yes it hurts, and will continue for a while, but it is something our
bodies can deal with.  I them warn them of the anaphalactic reaction
of an allergic person.  I then have a full public relations team on my
side.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+    Raymond J. Lackey                                     +
+    Beekeeper 10 years with 25 colonies on Long Island, NY+
+    INTERNET: [log in to unmask]                       +
+    Mail: 1260 Walnut Avenue, Bohemia NY 11617            +
+    Home Phone: 516-567-1936  FAX: 516-262-8053           +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++