Alderpersons Meltzer And Schultz Introduce Honeybee Rescue Resolution At 11/17/2021 Common Council Meeting

During the 11/17/2021 Common Council meeting Alderpersons Vered Meltzer (District 2) and Alex Schultz (District 9) submitted Resolution #15-R-21, the Honeybee Rescue Resolution. If passed, this resolution would update the section of the city’s Municipal Code related to the keeping of bees.

Currently city code allows a permit holder to maintain up to 5 honeybee hives. This resolution would allow that to be increased to “(5) honeybee hives and (2) nucleus colonies”.

It would also add new language stating “A beekeeper may temporarily exceed the allowable number of hives for a 30 day period in order to rescue a colony, to determine that it’s disease-free, and to verify or establish a viable queen.”

These changes appear to be aimed at improving the ability of local beekeepers to engage in honeybee rescue activities.

This resolution has been referred to the Board of Health which is next scheduled to meet on 12/08/2021.

Below is the full text of the resolution:

Resolution #15-R-21
Honeybee Rescue Resolution

Date: November 17, 2021
Submitted By: Alderperson Meltzer – District 2, & Alderperson Schultz – District 9
Referred To: Board of Health

WHEREAS Honeybee rescue is a service provided for free by local beekeepers in order to provide an alternative to insecticides and relocate bees from undesired locations while preserving the safety of both humans and bees; and

WHEREAS the rescue process is physically challenging and the queen of the colony often does not survive the extraction, and a colony will die off without its queen; and

WHEREAS a nucleus colony is a very small hive that produces no honey, which is kept solely for the purpose of replacing failed queens; and

WHEREAS other circumstances such as severe weather events can cause a hive to fail and need a replacement queen, but replacement queens that can be purchased may not survive transit or may not arrive in time for a hive in crisis; and

WHEREAS the local beekeepers who perform rescues are the only individuals with the resources and opportunity to find a new home for a rescue colony and if necessary a new queen;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Appleton make the following amendments to Sec 3-52(b) in the Municipal Code:

1. Amend “(5) honeybee hives may be maintained” to “(5) honeybee hives and (2) nucleus colonies may be maintained”

2. Add to the end of Sec 3-52(b) the following language: “A beekeeper may temporarily exceed the allowable number of hives for a 30 day period in order to rescue a colony, to determine that it’s disease-free, and to verify or establish a viable queen.”