Town offers more context to beekeepers video

In the video, the owners of Double B Apiary & Farm accuse the Town of creating a “horrific” situation involving their honeybees, namely that officials are prohibiting them from keeping the honeybees on their property, suggesting the juvenile will be arrested if she tends to the bees, and threatening a $60,000 fine.

In the words of the late Paul Harvey, here’s “the rest of the story.”

Last year, on March 9, 2023, Town staff observed land clearing on the property in question without a land disturbance permit. Staff observed no bees on the site (image), only graded land, cut trees, newly installed gravel, and a new gate.

Staff also noted that no stream protection measures were in place. As a result, a Town engineer and planning staff member visited the site on March 15, 2023, at which time they noted that in the span of just a few days a new concrete pad had also been installed, along with an accessory structure. As was the case during the first inspection on March 9, there were no bees on the property (image).  

Due to the land clearing that was occurring without a permit and the absence of stream protections, the Town posted a stop work order at the property (image). Later that same day (March 15), the applicant called the Town and was informed of the reason for the stop work order and the inspection.

After speaking with his attorney, the applicant acknowledged in a follow-up phone call the next day that he should have told staff previously that the back portion of the property was covered by the bona fide farming exemption as an agricultural use in conjunction with a farm he operated in Warren County (NC General Statute 160D-903).

A staff report (available at https://bit.ly/StaffReport_BOA-23-02) details why the applicant’s land did not qualify for an exemption under NC General Statute 160D-903, but in a nutshell, the property failed to meet the three elements required for an exemption: same ownership, same classification, and within 50 miles.

One week later, on March 22, 2023, staff again spoke to the applicant, this time after they noticed that piers and foundations had been erected on the property in the gravel in support of wooden frames – a clear violation of the “stop work order” that was still in place.

Although the applicant stated that the supports had been installed for planters and landscaping, Town officials reiterated that the stop work order was still in place, urged him to cease all development, and have his attorney speak to the Town Attorney.

At this time, an additional stop work order was posted on the property because the previous postings had been removed.

Nearly two months later, on May 15, 2023, Town officials observed additional development on the property, including the installation of several beehives, along with the storage of construction materials, tractors, bulldozer, and trailers (image).

Since the applicant was unable at that time to provide documentation of his agricultural exemption, the Town had no choice but to issue a notice of violations.

The applicant appealed those violations and requested a continuance of his hearing until February 2024 so that he could apply for an agricultural exemption with Wake County in January 2024.

Last Friday, January 19, the applicant notified the Town that Wake County had granted that exemption.

To be clear, at no time during the stop work order was the applicant or his daughter advised that they could not feed their bees. In fact, as previously noted, the applicant installed the hives after the stop work order was issued (sometime between March 22 and May 15, 2023).

In addition, during the September 21, 2023, Board of Adjustment meeting, the applicant stated that he needed to feed the bees over the winter for them to survive. Following the meeting, Planning Director Courtney Tanner asked the applicant and his daughter about their bee feeding schedule so the Town would know when they were on the property to feed the bees.

The applicant and his daughter responded that the feeding schedule varied depending on their schedule, so Ms. Tanner encouraged them to simply contact the Town before feeding so it would be clear they were on site to feed the bees and not in violation of the stop work order.