Lake Bluff committee approves backyard beekeeping permit for 415 Lincoln Avenue

The Lake Bluff Sustainability and Environmental Committee approved a backyard beekeeping application for 415 Lincoln Avenue after the applicant described prior experience and steps to reduce nuisance risks.

Applicant Jonathan Love, who said he moved to Lake Bluff from North Carolina about a year ago, told the committee he had kept two hives for three years and “harvested about 48 pounds of honey” from those hives. He said he overwintered colonies successfully two of the three years and described practices he would use to minimize neighbor impacts, including frequent inspections, ensuring hives have adequate resources and space, and “taking swift mitigated actions” if he saw signs of swarming.

The committee chair pro tem asked whether Love had notified neighbors; Love replied he had provided a one-page summary to neighbors, had spoken with most in person and said their responses were “mostly met with positive, and and excited, feedback.” Staff confirmed the village had sent notice letters to adjoining property owners and received no comments back.

Committee members indicated no site-inspection issues. After a motion and second to move to a vote, the committee recorded votes in favor: Member Buscio (approve), Member Cole (yes), Member Hance (yes) and Member Manglecock (yes). The motion passed and staff said they would follow up with next steps.

The committee’s approval was a permit/vote only; no additional conditions, permit timeline, or enforcement steps beyond standard village processes were specified during the discussion.