Rule changes could be coming for Onalaska beekeepers

Walls around hives, distance requirements among rule changes. 

ONALASKA, Wis. — Amateur beekeepers living in Onalaska may have some rule changes to follow soon.

The Onalaska city council may be asked next week to approve a few changes regulating beehives, after consultations with a beekeeping inspector.

City administrator Eric Rindfleisch says the proposed rules wouldn’t affect many people. Despite signs of the bee population dropping sharply in recent years, he doesn’t see many city residents wanting to raise the insects.

The planned changes include eliminating high walls around hives, which bees can fly around anyway and dropping distance requirements from undevelopable land.

A beehive inspector suggested that hives be kept off property lines in Onalaska…and that beekeepers be required to submit to inspections at least every two years.