CALL TO ACTION! Preserve Backyard Beekeeping Now!!
The following is a summary of the results from the July 9th 2012 Emergency MCBA Meeting and the actions we can all take. Also below, please find links to the addresses you can write to so that your voice is heard on this issue and a link to make a donation to our legal defense fund and to support a club mailing on this issue.
Sign our On-Line Petition Addresses You Can Write To DONATE to Legal Defense Now!
Note: Township Meeting dates changed to September since the time of this meeting.
To All MCBA Members,
1) The proposed Plymouth Meeting Ordinance was read and all agreed that it is too restrictive and would prohibit 50% of households in the township from keeping bees. The club is concerned that several other townships have heard about this and are thinking of passing their own ordinances.
2) We have about 10 - 20 days in which to influence how the ordinance is written. The first decisions will be made by Jon Lesher at the Montgomery County Planning Commission in private meetings. His recommendations will be forwarded to the Plymouth Township Planning Agency. Then the ordinance goes before the Plymouth Township Planning Agency for a decision on August 1st, 7:00 pm at the Plymouth Township Municipal Building: 700 Belvoir Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. All letters should arrive no later than July 20th 2012 to allow the members to receive all mail. . The final decision will be made by the 5 Plymouth Township Council Members. Please write to them in advance of their meeting/hearing, which is on September 4th (hearing), DATE of Vote TBA (Vote) at 7pm at the Township Municipal Building at 700 Belvoir Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462.
MCBA members and especially residents of Plymouth Township can attend the meetings.
We need everyone to start contacting residents of Plymouth Township and ask them to write to the attached list of people in support of beekeeping. Everyone else can write letters also but we would like to show the town council that we have the support of the residents. Charles Breinig has written an article on Zoning Ordinances, Gardens and Honey Bees which we can use for information when writing letters. Go to the PSBA website to see the article http://www.pastatebeekeepers.org/ Charlie’s article or your own letters can also be distributed to your email lists and Facebook friends.
3) Those present at our meeting proposed and agreed to send out a mailing to all residents of Plymouth Township informing them of the situation and asking for their support. This mailing will cost approximately $2000.00. Since we do not have the funds to cover this in our account someone suggested that all those present donate $20 toward a mailing fund. We raised $1,192.00! If you would like to contribute to the mailing fund send a check to MCBA PO Box 203, Hatfield, PA 19440. Or donate through PayPal on the website (we will have this set up as soon as possible). Any extra money raised will be put into our legal defense fund.
4) The Plymouth Whole Foods Store is in support of beekeeping and we will be setting up an education booth there this weekend, July 14 and 15th 2012. We need volunteers to staff the table. Contact Eli Glick (eglick4@comcast.net) if you can spare a couple hours to talk to people about beekeeping.
5) The executive board passed a motion to hire an attorney for assistance and guidance through the process.
Please take a minute from your busy day to write, call or email any Plymouth Township residents you may know and the attached list of people. Send in a contribution if you can afford it. Or volunteer at one of our community events to help educate people about beekeeping.
For a printable version of the above to share, click here.