The city of Vernon is looking at changing its bylaws to allow homeowners to keep beehives in their backyards.
It was bee keeper Dawn Tucker who put the issue back on the city’s agenda.
Although it wasn’t allowed by the city bylaws, she kept bees on her Vernon property for five years until last spring when bylaw received a complaint and she was forced to move her beehives.
Tucker has advocated for relaxing the rules around beekeeping.
Right now in Vernon, you are only allowed to keep bees on properties zoned for agriculture but soon hives could be seen in neighbourhoods across the city.
The proposed changes would allow either two or four hives depending on the size of the property in all sorts of areas including on residential, commercial and industrial land.
“If we get urban beekeeping, which is really exciting, you’ll have the ability to have a small number of hives in residential areas,” said Vernon’s mayor Victor Cumming.
However, some people find bees frightening or a nuisance or have bee allergies.
Tucker said that if hives are properly managed they shouldn’t be a concern.
Cumming said if the bylaw changes are passed, issues like allergies and bees creating a nuisance will be addressed through the council process.
The proposed changes are expected to be discussed at Vernon city council meetings in March and April.
Tucker hopes the politicians are ultimately supportive so she can move her beehives back to her yard, and other Vernon residents can join her in keeping bees.
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