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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Boston City Council is looking to help you bee-come a beekeeper.
City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune has filed a new proposal that would make it easier for people to keep bees on their property by changing the city's zoning code. Boston's current zoning code does not allow for people to keep bees, outside of a few small areas.
Councilor Louijeune told WBZ's Madison Rogers she decided to bring the proposal forward after speaking to some concerned beekeepers in Hyde Park.
"There's a whole thriving beekeeping community and they want to do the right thing," she said. "It's not like folks are building on a new unit to their apartment or their home. We're just talking about keeping bees, so we're trying to take it out of zoning and bring it into the municipal code."
Her proposal includes a series of regulations like how far apart hives have to be from homes and what beekeepers will need to do to make sure bees aren't flying around neighboring buildings. Councilor Louijeune said these regulations should ease any concerns residents have about having bees near their homes.
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"There's not going to be a free-for-all," she said. "We're not trying to completely de-regulate the bee process."
Councilor Louijeune said the ordinance is about more than just freeing the bees.
"This is about recognizing the important role that bees have in our environment," Louijeune said.
The city council will next hold a public meeting on the ordinance.
WBZ's Madison Rogers (@madisonwbz) reports.
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