http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_434924.html

After 15 years of working with honeybees at his Marshall, PA home, master
beekeeper Bob Jenereski has been stung in a way he never expected.

Township officials ordered him to remove his 16 hives or face fines of up
$500 a day. They say his 1-acre lot is too small for agricultural use. No
firm deadline has been set, but officials would like the bees gone by the
start of spring, which begins today.

Jenereski, 65, keeps 250 hives on local farms. His bees pollinate crops for
free, and he gets the honey -- about 50 to 100 pounds per hive.

He uses the hives at his home to breed queen bees -- a tricky process that
requires constant monitoring. The retired bookkeeper estimates he loses at
least $15,000 a year on the hobby.

"I do it from the love of bees and trying to help the local farmers,"
Jenereski said. "Every day and every year that goes by, it's tougher to keep
bees alive. What I'm trying to do is keep beekeeping alive in Western
Pennsylvania."
Until a neighbor complained, Marshall officials were unaware of Jenereski's
hives, zoning officer Bill Campbell said.

Township law requires 5 acres for agricultural use, such as farms or, in
Jenereski's case, beehives. Campbell said officials would have taken action
against Jenereski sooner had they known about his bees.

Jenereski, who has kept honeybees for 46 years, said he did not believe the
township's land requirement applied to him.

Neighbor John Kovak, who has lived there for 10 years, said he has not had a
problem with Jenereski's bees.

"We see a lot of bees amongst the flowers, but I've never been stung and
they've never bothered me," Kovak said. "I don't think the township has
proved what the damage is. ... I mean, what's the harm?"

pb

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