New Yorkers are about to get a little more buzzed.
A bill before the City Council would legalize beekeeping, a pastime with a devoted following that is already thriving on rooftops from Brooklyn to the Bronx. Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn), who is sponsoring the legislation, said the production of local honey is an example of "niche manufacturing" and should be legalized and licensed.
"Right now we have the worst of both worlds because lots of people do it but there's no regulation that makes sure people know what they're doing," he said. Yassky said he was approached at a community meeting by a woman who wants to keep bees but does not want to break the law. The non-profit Just Foods, which advocates for locally produced food, has circulated an online petition in support of the bill and has collected 496 signatures.Currently, the city classifies bees as animals "naturally inclined to do harm" and prohibits people from keeping them.
Such characterizations bother John Howe, of Fort Greene, who founded the New York City Beekeeping Meetup Group and tends to three hives containing anywhere from 120,000 to 180,000 bees on his rooftop. "Bees are harmless, they're very gentle," Howe said. "They're very defensive of their hives but you have to practically kick their hives to get them to sting you." He said no one in his group has reported any complaints from their neighbors.
Neither Howe nor Yassky could say how many beekeepers currently operate in the city but Howe's group boasts 270 members. Currently, keeping bees in the city carries fines ranging from $200 and $2,000.