Yesterday the Evanston, IL city council passed an ordinance that  
restricts beekeeping in that Chicago suburb.  Details at http:// 
www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/northshore/ 
chi-0610100108oct10,1,120751.story (registration required).  The  
Tribune story does not include details on the actual restrictions  
imposed, but the draft ordinance would have effectively banned  
beekeeping in much of Evanston by establishing a 25-foot minimum  
clearance for the bees (many lots are only 50 feet wide).

I see no indication in the newspaper article that there was support  
from any beekeeping organization.  The action was precipitated by a  
14-year-old beekeeper who has a blog at http://gobees.blogspot.com/.   
Reading his blog, I do not get the impression that this is the ideal  
spokesperson for beekeepers.

I'm curious if any beekeeping associations were involved, and if not,  
why not.  The vote was 5-4 and I expect that if there had been a  
coherent defense of beekeeping at the council meeting that this  
ordinance would not have passed.  On the other hand, I'm basing my  
opinion on the newspaper article, and we all know how dangerous that  
can be.

A related question . . . I was asked after the fact by a friend who  
lives in Evanston if there are materials available from any of the  
beekeeping organizations that could be used in a situation like  
this.  What resources do exist?  I know that ordinances like this  
have been successfully turned back in other locations; is it a case  
of the local beekeepers re-inventing the wheel each time?

Steve Bonine

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