Des Plaines may be the latest suburb to allow residential beekeeping

Des Plaines is the latest northern suburb to consider a program that would allow residents to keep bees, but the details are still getting worked out.

During Monday night’s city council meeting, Community and Economic Development Director Jeff Rogers said the number of apiaries — or places to keep bee hives — has blossomed over the last decade.

“There are, presently, approximately 750 apiaries in Cook County,” he said. “That’s about a 40% increase in the last 10 years.”

Rogers said the increase came after Evanston, Skokie and Schaumburg began allowing homeowners to keep bees.

The city council discussed possible regulations for allowing bees beyond the current educational limits.

The city limits residents to four hives that must be at least 250 feet from homes.

Ald. Mark Lysakowski said he wants next-door neighbors to have a chance to weigh in and added that his children would refuse to go outside if there were bees.

“[If] I live next to somebody that I pay property tax on, and they decide to get a beehive, and my kids don’t use my yard, I would not be happy,” he said.

Resident Mary Apcel said introducing tens of thousands of honeybees in each hive will displace local bumblebees and others.

“I don’t understand how we could sustain that and also maintain our native honeybee population that is crucial to aid our native plants,” she said. “It’s crucial to our gardens.”

The council wants to hear more about how neighboring communities regulate and inspect hives, as well as address concerns about allergies.