St. Charles to regulate hives, but beekeepers happy

St. Charles officials began exploring beekeeping regulations last year in response to neighbors complaining about Paul Napolitano's bees. Over the winter, all Napolitano's bees died.

But on Monday, Napolitano walked out of city hall emboldened to give beekeeping another try thanks to the new rules aldermen approved.

Those rules require beekeepers to register no more than two hives with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, post warning signs and provide water on site for the bees. Beekeepers must place hives in rear yards and at least 20 feet from all side and rear property lines.

Those are rules Napolitano, and several other beekeepers from the area, said they could accept.

Beekeepers inundated aldermen with correspondence for several months after the issue arose last September. They feared government regulation that would amount to a ban. And several aldermen appeared willing to head toward that route in hopes of quelling Napolitano's neighbors after they reported bee stings.

Just last month, aldermen deadlocked in a preliminary vote where some aldermen feared the rules contained too many restrictions while others argued they didn't go far enough.

Then, unaware that Napolitano's bees didn't survive the winter, neighbors reported another bee sting to the city. City officials confirmed Napolitano's empty hives. And that appeared to influence the final vote Monday night.

"When you come right down to the bottom line, this is really just a neighbor-versus-neighbor situation," said Alderman William Turner. "Hissy fits aren't a reason for a new ordinance."

Turner joined Aldermen Steve Gaugel and Lora Vitek as the three "no" votes on the new regulations. Alderman Todd Bancroft, who voted against the first draft of the rules, was absent. Alderman Maureen Lewis changed her initial "no" vote to "yes" Monday night.

"I was looking for a compromise, and I believe we have now met that compromise," Lewis said of her vote swing. "I believe these rules reflect what beekeepers are already doing."

Aldermen Dan Stellato, Ron Silkaitis, Art Lemke, Rita Payleitner and Ed Bessner joined Lewis in supporting the beekeeping rules.

The 6-3 vote was far from the tie aldermen appeared headed for only a couple of weeks ago. Mayor Ray Rogina did not need to vote, but he voiced his support for the regulations.

"This is a fair ordinance," Rogina said. "We have numerous good beekeepers in our community, and this allows them to keep their hobby intact with minimal influence from the city."

For Napolitano, the government influence provides just enough protection to rejoin the ranks of area beekeepers. It's not about protecting the neighbors from his bees, he said; Napolitano never believed his bees were the source of any of the alleged stings. Instead, the rules protect his beekeeping hobby from his neighbors, he said.

"According to these rules, we are already above and beyond what is required," Napolitano said. "It protects us from them. The bee stings, swarms, those are not legitimate complaints under these rules. So, now I'm going to get some bees again."