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Beekeeper briefs Lake Barrington trustees on operations as village flags zoning questions
Summary
Brian Thompson of Honey Laid Bee Company gave trustees a primer on bees, commercial practices and swarm management and described his plans for onsite beekeeping and retail; trustees said zoning and a professional fire‑safety review are needed before formal approvals.
Brian Thompson, owner of Honey Laid Bee Company, told the Lake Barrington Board of Trustees on Dec. 7 that his business combines education and retail and described how his operations work.
Thompson said most North American bee species visit flowers only and are distinct from wasps or hornets. He warned that parasitic mites have devastated hives in recent decades, noting that "it only takes 2 or 3 mites per 100 bees to kill a colony," and explained how suppliers move "packages" (about three pounds of bees plus a queen) and how small starter colonies called "nukes" become full hives. "We bring in packages, we install them into nukes, and then sell them for about 4 to 6 weeks to beginning beekeepers generally," he said.
The presentation identified commercial practices and risks trustees said they wanted the village to understand before deciding whether the use fits in the VEI business district. President Burke described the visit as a "courtesy visit" ahead of any plan‑commission business and said the trustees will work with the applicant "to come up with the right answer that allows you to operate your business the way you want to." The board emphasized distinguishing educational activities from production and storage when applying zoning rules.
Trustees asked operational questions about sources of queens, staffing, and distribution. Thompson said queens are often purchased and marked by color for identification; he described common breeder lines (he named Carnolian and Italian strains among others) and said his operation currently supplies farmers markets and employs family members, with plans to expand staff if the enterprise grows.
Thompson also showed photos of hive yards and noted proximity to nearby houses and a golf‑course building. He said he plans to limit bees near customer walkways at his proposed site to avoid negatively affecting visitors. Board members acknowledged the need to balance economic development with public safety and standards for the business park and signaled additional review will be required before any formal permit is issued.
Next steps: trustees indicated the applicant should expect formal review by the planning commission and that village staff will work with him to clarify how the VEI ordinance applies to educational versus production activities.
