The bees were not meant to be

Bee keeping is not allowed in the City of Anderson, at least not on lots less than five acres. That was the story the city code enforcement officer told the owner of a beehive on Astor Street earlier this month.

“It was quite a unique code enforcement investigation,” said Marty Mofield, also the city’s senior building inspector. “He had collected a bee box, and wanted to produce honey. I don’t know how many thousands of bees were in there, but the box was full. Bees covered the walls.”

A neighbor had complained because the bees, requiring a water source, were attracted to the neighbor’s swimming pool. The neighbor also reported that children were getting stung.

Mofield said the beehive was removed within a week of contacting the beekeeper. He added that a permit was also required to keep a beehive within the city limits.

The normal code enforcement issues faced by the inspector involve junk and debris, abandoned vehicles and property maintenance violations.