Welcome to the Town of Greenburgh
News & Information  
  Select News to View

Please select the year.
2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

Back to Article List

HONEY BEE KEEPING LAW APPROVED...Library hosting pop up mini sale Monday-Wed all items 2/$1
Release Date: April 05, 2018

Friends of the Greenburgh Library are hosting a pop up mini sale at the Greenburgh Library on Monday, April 9, Tuesday April 10 and Wednesday, April 11   All items 2/$1--  Great deal!   We prefer that you do not drop off any donations during the sale.

 

HONEY BEE KEEPING LAW APPROVED

Earlier this week the Greenburgh Town Board unanimously approved a resolution (see below) authorizing beekeeping. We’re not the first community to allow beekeeping.  Beekeeping is an increasingly popular hobby all around the world.

There are so many great reasons to keep honey bees. Producing your own delicious honey,  pollinating the plants and flowers in your own garden.

Fewer bees…

 

Beekeeping has been in the news lately, because of the threat to bees from 'Colony Collapse Disorder' (or CCD). This is where the worker bees inexplicably leave the hive and simply disappear, never to be seen again. About 1/3rd of bees in the USA have been lost.

 

The issue is causing real concern for the future of the honey bee, and all the crops that rely on it for pollination - one third of all the food we eat is pollinated by honey bees.

VIDEO WITH GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER BEEKEEPER ADVOCATE ON REASONS FOR THE LAW… (FROM LAST YEAR)…

 

https://www.lohud.com/videos/news/local/westchester/greenburgh/2017/08/31/video-beekeeper-lets-get-some-backyard-honey-going/104231654/

 Paul Feiner

 

 

RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURGH

ADOPTING A LOCAL LAW RELATED TO BEEKEEPING, AMENDING

SECTION 285-36 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE ENTITLED

“SUPPLEMENTARY USE REGULATIONS” AND SECTION 285-10 OF THE

ZONING ORDINANCE ENTITLED “ONE-FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT”

WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh finds it in the interest of the Town to

amend the following sections of the Zoning Ordinance: Section 285-10, entitled, “One-Family Residence

District,” and Section 28-36, entitled, “Supplementary use regulations,” to remove a restriction against bee

keeping, and permit such practice in a safe manner in the Town of Greenburgh; and

WHEREAS, on September 13, 2017, the Town Board adopted Resolution CD-3 – 09/13/17, (1)

declaring its intent to act as Lead Agency for review of the amendment and all related actions under the

State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and (2) referring the Zoning Text Amendment to

the Planning Board for report and recommendation; and

WHEREAS, the Planning Board, at a regularly scheduled work session meetings on October 4,

2017 and October 18, 2017, discussed the proposed local law, and made a neutral recommendation to the

Town Board associated with the proposed Zoning Text Amendment and issued a related report; and

WHEREAS, on October 25, 2017, December 13, 2017 and January 24, 2018, the Town Board

held a public hearing on the proposed Zoning Text Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the Town Board conducted a coordinated SEQRA review (Planning Board,

Westchester County – Interested Agencies) and analysis of the entire record, studying and documenting

the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed Zoning Text Amendment, and on

February 28, 2018, adopted Resolution CD-2 – 02/28/18, thereby issuing a Negative Declaration with

respect to SEQRA;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh

hereby adopts the attached Local Law amending Section 285-10 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh

entitled “One-Family Residence District,” and Section 285-36, entitled “Supplementary use regulations,” to

remove a restriction against beekeeping, and permit such practice in a safe manner in the Town of

Greenburgh.

 

TOWN of GREENBURGH

Local Law No. 2/2018

A local law amending Chapter 285 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh

entitled “Zoning” pursuant to New York State Constitution Article IX and New York

Municipal Home Rule Law Section 10, New York Environmental Conservation Law

Article 8 (SEQR).

BE IT ENACTED by the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh:

§ 1. Title.

§ 2. Legislative Findings and Intent.

§ 3. Amendment to § 285-10A(3)(h).

§ 4. Amendment to § 285-36.

§ 5. Supersession.

§ 6. Severability.

§ 7. Effective Date.

§ 1. Title.

This law is entitled “A local law amending Chapter 285 of the Code of the Town

of Greenburgh entitled ‘Zoning.’”

§ 2. Legislative Findings and Intent.

The Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh finds it in the interest of the Town to

amend Chapter 285 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh to remove the

restriction against beekeeping, and permit such practice in a safe manner in the

Town of Greenburgh.

§ 3. Amendments to Section 285-10A(3)(h): R-40 One-Family Residence District.

Section 285-10A(3)(h) of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh is hereby

amended as follows (deleted text in strikeout; new text underlined):

A. Permitted uses.

(3) Accessory uses.

(h) On a lot containing a farm, the keeping of one horse or one cow per

acre and a reasonable number of other farm animals, but excluding

pigs, bees and fowl.

2

§ 4. Amendments to Chapter 285-36: Supplementary use regulations.

U. Beekeeping. The keeping of bees, upon registration through the Department of

Community Development and Conservation, subject to the following:

(1) Beekeeping shall be limited to the keeping of Honey Bees on properties of

at least 10,000 sq. ft. in the One-Family Residence Districts.

(2) Apiaries, which shall constitute a hive or hive-like structure having

removable frames specifically designed, constructed and maintained for

purposes of housing a Bee Colony, shall be located at least twenty feet

from any property line, excluding the front property line. However, no

Apiaries are permitted in a front yard. The Apiary’s entrance must face

away from the property line closest to the beehive and must be situated to

avoid unreasonable interference with pedestrian traffic. In instances

where an abutting or adjacent resident provides medical documentation of

a serious allergy to bee stings, to the satisfaction of the Town Attorney,

the Apiary shall be located at least 250 feet from any property line. All

Bee Colonies shall be kept in appropriately sized, designed and

maintained Apiaries which shall be kept and maintained at all time in

sound and usable condition. The prospective beekeeper shall have, or

cause to have, a physical barrier such as a fence or hedgerow along an

appropriate portion or entirety of the nearest property line of the Apiary.

The orientation and location of the hives and applicable physical barrier

shall be inspected by, and be to the satisfaction of, the Commissioner of

the Department of Community Development and Conservation.

(3) Applicants must notify abutting or adjacent property owners/current

resident, by U.S. Mail, both by first class and by certified return receipt, at

least one month prior to the registration process with the Department of

Community Development and Conservation, notifying them of their intent

to register and maintain an apiary or apiaries. A copy of a standard

notification will be provided by the Department of Community

Development and Conservation. A list of mailings shall be submitted as

part of the Town registration process.

(4) On lots 10,000 sq. ft. to 40,000 sq. ft. no more than two Apiaries shall be

permitted. On lots greater than 40,000 sq. ft. no more than four Apiaries

shall be permitted.

(5) Commercial signage associated with any Apiary is prohibited.

3

(6) It shall be the duty of every Beekeeper: (a) to be educated in and strictly

adhere to best management practices; (b) to maintain Bees, Bee Colonies

and Apiaries in a location and condition that will prevent diseases and/or

abandonment of the Apiary. Evidence of completed educational/training

programs by the prospective beekeeper must be provided in connection

with the applicable registration form, to the satisfaction of the

Commissioner of the Department of Community Development and

Conservation.

(7) All Apiaries shall be registered annually with the Department of

Community Development and Conservation on forms provided or

approved by the Town; the purposes of such registration being to maintain

a record of the number and location of each Apiary, to obtain the most

current contact and credential/education information in connection with

each Beekeeper and to obtain a certification from each Beekeeper

acknowledging receipt of a copy of this Chapter and the most current rules

and regulations that may be promulgated pursuant to this Chapter. A

Beekeeper shall provide to the Department of Community Development

and Conservation any updates to the information contained in the annual

registration within 10 days of any change, including but not limited to the

abandonment or potential change in location of any Apiary.

(8) Any Beekeeper who violates any provisions of the registration/beekeeping

process is subject to a revocation of their registration by the Building

Inspector, following a finding by the Commissioner of the Department of

Community Development and Conservation that the beekeeping activity

unreasonably interferes with persons residing on adjacent property and/or

constitutes a nuisance.

§ 5. Supersession.

Pursuant to New York Municipal Home Rule Law Section 22, this law is intended

to supersede any other inconsistent provision of law.

§ 6. Severability.

If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of this law or the

application to any person or circumstance shall be adjudged by any court of

competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional, such order or judgment

shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined

in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of

this law, or its application to the person or circumstance directly involved in the

controversy in which such order or judgment shall be rendered.

§ 7. Effective Date.

This law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State.




Print this page Print this page Print this page Email this page Email this page





Contact Information | Home | Town Supervisor | Town Council | Town Clerk's Office | Tax Department | Departments | Documents & Forms | Town Code | GIS Maps, Tax and Assessment Information | Agendas & Minutes | Watch Live Board Meetings | Public Access TV On Demand | Links | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Employment Opportunities | Town Updates by E-Mail | Pay Parking Tickets Online | Pay Water Bill Online | On-Line Tax Payments
Use Mobile Site

Copyright © 2014 Town of Greenburgh, NY. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by Cit-e-Net