Plymouth Township Residents Raise Concerns over Beekeeping Neighbor

To bee keep or not to bee keep? That was the question at the Plymouth Township Council meeting Monday night.

Roughly 40 residents-- some in favor and some against-- turned up to the meeting to discuss the decision of the Shaffer family, of 1435 Sandwood Drive, Conshohocken, to keep a colony of Italian Honeybees in their backyard.

Council looked to diffuse the situation at the beginning of discussion by stating that they had no options to prevent the Shaffers from beekeeping and suggesting that the two sides talk it out.

"The way the Plymouth Township code is written for [zoning district 3], that is an agricultural issue, and agriculture is permitted," said council chairman Sheldon Simpson. "They have the right to do this, and the township doesn't really have a say. We can change the districting and remove the agricultural part of it, but the Shaffers already have permission and would be grandfathered in."

Simpson then suggested that those involved move to a separate room to hear from the Shaffers and other beekeepers, before returning at the end of the meeting and presenting any concerns that they still had.

Bernard Brady, of 1433 Sandwood Road, took issue with this suggestion.

"I think it's very unacceptable that we go into the other room and discuss bees," Brady said. "We have bees, it's as simple as that. Let's change the zoning not to have it again. I don't want to talk to beekeepers."

However, many residents did move to the other room, and still expressed concerns upon their return.

"The Shaffers cannot contain the bees, and I and many others in the neighborhood are allergic to bees," said Patricia McArthur, of 1427 Sandwood Road, who also stated that she had just purchased two EpiPens for $205.

Several residents also expressed concerns that they had not been properly notified, and had only been told of the colony at different times in the past two weeks.

However, beekeeping proponents in the audience said the residents' concerns were unfounded.

"The bees protect one foot around the nest, where as hornets will protect 50 to 60 feet around the nest," said Jim Bobb, a Lansdale resident and former president of the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association.

Bobb also said that residents should be tested for allergies and carry EpiPens regardless, as bees would exist without the presence of the Shaffer's colony.

Marie Crawford, a Whitpain resident who says she is involved in small-scale agriculture, also spoke in favor of the colony.

"The issue of bees is vitally important to farming and the future of our food supply," said Crawford. "I live maybe four or five miles from this beehive. Those bees are important, they're not a danger to society, and if they didn't exist there would still be bees that children would have to learn not to step on."

Council members said that the Commonwealth regulates agriculture, and thus the matter is mostly out of their hands. However, solicitor Thomas Speers said that he would work with the township's planning consultant to see what ordinances are possible in restricting agricultural activities, for the future consideration of council.