Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gibbs, Jerry J" <jjgibbs@PROTECTED>

Subject: Fwd: Appeal / Variance Information | 10117 Lantern Road

Date: July 27, 2018 at 5:22:26 PM EDT

We just received an email today at five from the city of Fishers. As you can read they are stating that keeping honeybees is not allowed in the city of Fishers. 

I believe we are going to appeal the decision. 

As you read below again the meeting is August 22nd. 

I ask everyone who can come to the meeting please come. 

I also ask for every ones help and support to help in supporting Fishers to make a beekeeper ordnance. 

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Hilleary, Ross" <hillearyr@PROTECTED>
Date: July 27, 2018 at 4:46:16 PM EDT

Subject: Appeal / Variance Information | 10117 Lantern Road

Catherine;

 

Thank you for your patience as we review this case internally.

 

Currently the Director has determined under 5.114 US-03 Use-Specific Standards that the keeping of bees is not allowed anywhere within the Zoning Jurisdiction of the City of Fishers. Your address,10117 Lantern Road Fishers, IN 46037, is within the Zoning Jurisdiction of the City of Fishers.

 

We have been asked about having an educational opportunity about bees / beekeeping to be presented to our City Council. There is opportunity at every City Council meeting for public comment and I recommend that if you would like for the City of Fishers to look into an ordinance that allows for the keeping of bees / beekeeping to be added to our zoning code, that this would be the first step. Council can direct the Planning & Zoning Department to collect information from neighboring communities that currently allow bees / beekeeping, data from experts such as the North Central Beekeeping Club, and other material and submit a recommendation for a new ordinance or a changes to an existing ordinance.

 

This is something that Tony and Kevin are looking into, but public support in these matters are beneficial to putting it on the City Councilmembers’ radar.

 

In regards to the pending violation, there are currently two steps you can take:

 

1.       You may appeal the decision of the Director with an Appeal of Administrative Determination. This is saying that you do not agree with decision or interpretation that was made by the Director. There is no fee for the Appeal and there are also no public noticing requirements. A Public Hearing presentation is required by the petitioner and/or their authorized representative. There are most likely two outcome of the Appeal; either the Appeal will be granted or the Appeal will be denied. If the Appeal is granted then the Board of Zoning Appeals agrees that there is no violation; if the Board of Zoning Appeals denies the appeal, then the violation still exist. Again, there is no fee for the Appeal and you do not have to send out a public notice, but a presentation at a Board of Zoning Meeting would be required.

 

The link to the Appeal Application is located here: https://fishersin.viewpointcloud.com/categories/1074/record-types/1006488

 

2.       You may request a Development Standards Variance. There is a $250 fee for residential development standard variances. A Variance could allow for the use (the keeping of bees / beekeeping) on the property in question. Once the Variance application is completed and verified by Staff, a Notice of Public Hearing will need to issue by the petitioner. Staff will assist you in creating the following two public notice documents. The general public must be notified by a notice in a newspaper (Current in Fishers and Current in Geist) and by a mailing of adjacent property owners obtained from Hamilton County. The Board of Zoning Appeals can approve the Variance, approve the Variance with conditions, or they can deny the Variance. Staff can walk you through this process in greater detail if you have questions.

The link to the Variance Application is located here:https://fishersin.viewpointcloud.com/categories/1074/record-types/1006448

Both of the above links can be found under the Planning & Zoning Department tab of View Point Cloud here: https://fishersin.viewpointcloud.com/categories/1074.

The next Fishers Board of Zoning Appeals meeting is August 22, 2018.

If you want to submit for the appeal please do so within 30 days of your notice of violation (August 13) so I can get it on the Board of Zoning Appeals Agenda.

If you would like to submit for the Development Standards Variance, the window for August noticing is closing end and I would recommend submitting the application as soon as possible so we can assist you in the public noticing process.

 

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns.

 

Thank you.

Best,

 

 

Ross Hilleary
Planner II, Planning and Zoning
P 317.588.1436

 

 

 

 

 

From: Hilleary, Ross 
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2018 11:39 AM
To: 'huntcatherine@PROTECTED' <huntcatherine@PROTECTED>
Subject: RE: North Central Beekeepers Club

 

Catherine;

 

Thank you for the email.

 

I will be sending an email tomorrow after Tony returns with the steps to move forward. I will include everyone involved on the email to make sure everyone is on the same page and no further misinformation is passed along.

 

Thank you for your understanding as I work through this process on our end.

 

Best,

 

 

Ross Hilleary
Planner II, Planning and Zoning
P 317.588.1436

 

 

 

 

 

From: huntcatherine@PROTECTED [mailto:huntcatherine@PROTECTED] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2018 11:34 AM
To: Hilleary, Ross <hillearyr@PROTECTED>
Subject: Fwd: North Central Beekeepers Club

 

Here is so additional email traffic on the beekeeping issue. 

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Jon Hunt <allthatjazz56@PROTECTED>
Date: July 25, 2018 at 11:33:03 AM EDT
To: Cathy <huntcatherine@PROTECTED>
Subject: Fwd: North Central Beekeepers Club

 

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gibbs, Jerry J" <jjgibbs@PROTECTED>
Date: July 25, 2018 at 10:51:25 AM EDT
To: Jon Hunt <Allthatjazz56@PROTECTED>
Subject: Fwd: North Central Beekeepers Club

 

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: North Central Beekeepers Club <northcentralbeekeepersclub@PROTECTED>
Date: July 25, 2018 at 10:34:29 AM EDT
To: stottsk@PROTECTED
Cc: "Gibbs, Jerry J" <jjgibbs@PROTECTED>
Subject: North Central Beekeepers Club

Kevin: 

 

Jerry Gibbs reached out to us regarding his beekeeping situation in Fishers.  We would be happy to meet with you to discuss beekeeping, and residential concerns.   Our club meets at Cool Creek Park Nature Center on the 3rd Wednesday night of each month, and we keep bees there on the park property.  Bees are not pets or pests, and are considered agricultural stock.  The likelihood of being stung is small, particularly in the type of setup that Jerry Gibbs has.  (Honeybees NEVER live in the ground, by the way.)

 

Barry McNulty, the director of the Hamilton County Health Department is a beekeeper, and part of our core group for NCBC.  We have several other professionals on our board who could provide you with whatever information or data might be helpful.  My schedule is pretty flexible during the middle of the day--if you would like to meet.  Please feel free to contact us at your convenience.

 

Tracy Pielemeier

North Central Beekeepers Club

317-847-4872