HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0786.032 2022-2024P / Pc,14W
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Aloha Hawai'i County Council Members:,; fd
SUBJECT: Bill 144 Relating to Apiaries and Beekeeping
Mahalo for your efforts to improve our island's beekeeping regulations. I agree with Bill 144's intent and have
long felt that the current regulations are overly restrictive and unrealistic, considering that honey bees are
being raised successfully and safely on rooftops in major cities. Encouraging responsible beekeeping in more
locations of our county will help local food production, the environment, and economy.
began beekeeping in 2006 and have trained beginner beekeepers in Pa'auilo and Lanai. I'm currently keeping
honey bees and have been selling honey as a side business for the last 13 years.
In my view there are two important concerns that should be addressed prior to final approval of Bill 144. One
is a crucial fire safety concern and the other pertains to how nuisance complaints will be handled.
1) Section 4-5-4. Generally accepted apiary management practices.
Another apiary management practice should be added to this section for fire safety. Beekeepers
commonly use smokers. When a smoker is operated on a windy day in a dry, grassy area, it is
incumbent upon the beekeeper to be hypervigilant about fire prevention techniques, i.e., control of
flying sparks while starting smokers and completely extinguishing the smoker after use.
2) Section 4-5-5. Nuisance
I am not aware of any comments from the State's Department of Health - Vector Control Division
regarding Bill 144's designation of their agency as the "filer" of nuisance complaints. What is being
expected of this state agency? Filing of complaints sounds like simple recordkeeping and not
investigation or mediation. We want to trust that beekeepers will be responsible in following the
generally accepted apiary management practices, but there are instances in which failure to follow
certain practices have led to lawsuits between neighbors. Is there a way to require mediation as the
first response when disputes arise? Here are three examples of disputes between neighbors in Hawai'i
that may surprise you: (a) neighbors in Kona had a falling out when honey bees were so attracted to
the night lights that the beekeeper's neighbors felt unable to use their porch at night; (b) in 2015 a
lawsuit on Kaua'i between neighbors was settled in which the beekeeper was actually held liable for
injuries to his neighbor who was allergic to bee stings; and (c) a neighbor on Maui sued the
neighboring beekeeper for deaths of two pure-bred dogs after they were stung while drinking from
their water dishes where honey bees were also drinking. I don't know the outcome of this lawsuit. My
point is that all three examples may have benefitted from mediation, and court involvement hopefully
avoided.
In summary, I'm recommending two changes to Bill 144 in the interests of (1) preventing fire and (2) promoting
conflict resolution through mediation of hopefully infrequent nuisance complaints.
Mahalo for your consideration,
Deborah Chang
Resident of Pa'auilo Mauka
kulaiwi outlook.com