421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD

WHEATON, IL 60187

DU PAGE COUNTY

www.dupagecounty.gov

Joint Special Call Meeting of the

Development and Environmental

Committee

Summary

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

11:30 AM

County Board Room

CALL TO ORDER

11:30 AM meeting was called to order by Chair Sheila Rutledge at 11:37 AM.

ROLL CALL

Chaplin, Garcia, Ozog, Rutledge, and Tornatore

PRESENT

ABSENT

Cronin Cahill, Covert, Evans, Gustin, Krajewski, and LaPlante

Motion to allow a Board Member to join committee for quorum purposes

Chair Rutledge made a motion to appoint Member Dawn DeSart and Member Grant Eckhoff to

the Environmental Committee for this special meeting for purposes of forming a quorum. All

ayes, motion carried.

CO-CHAIR'S REMARKS - CO-CHAIRS TORNATORE & RUTLEDGE

Chair Rutledge made an opening statement referencing the importance of increasing habitat for

pollinators and her continued efforts to work toward that. Chair Rutledge thanked all those in

attendance and those who came to provide information on the proposed Zoning Code change and

other information relative to beekeeping and any potential environment implications.

PRESENTATION

4.A. Paul Hoss, Planning & Zoning Administration Coordinator

Presented the proposed Text Amendments to the DuPage County Zoning Ordinance relative to

beekeeping.

4.B. Jim Wellwood, Illinois Department of Agriculture

Presented information about the State Apiary Statutes, the State Department of Agriculture

apiary and bee registration requirements and the State Department of Agriculture bee/apiary

inspection process.

4.C. Pete Soltesz, President of Cook/DuPage Beekeepers Association

Presented the history of honey bees and the impact of habitat in favor of the changes to DuPage

County's Zoning Ordinance for residential beekeeping.

4.D. Connie Schmidt, Group Executive Chair Sierra Club

Presented an informational Powerpoint provided by bee experts supporting the idea that different

bee species compete for food due to lack of proper plants and habitat, stating that changing the

current Zoning Ordinance would increase competition.

PUBLIC COMMENT

According to the DuPage County Board Rules, individual remarks shall not exceed three

minutes in length, nor shall the total time provided for all remarks exceed thirty minutes.

The following individuals made public comment:

Dennis Wisnosky: WillBees

Richard Rooney

Bill Whitney: Cook/DuPage Beekeepers Association

Nadine Rorem: Wheaton College- Biological & Health Sciences Department

Greg Stickels

All online submissions for public comment from the August 20, 2024, DuPage County Joint

Special Call Meeting of the Development and Environmental Committees are included for the

record in the entirety. They are found in the minutes packet and at the link below.

24-2284

Online Public Comment

DISCUSSION

6.A.

DC-O-0050-24

T-1-24 Text Amendments (b) to the DuPage County Zoning Ordinance: To approve the

following: Zoning Petition T-1-24 (b) proposed text amendments to the DuPage County

Zoning Ordinance relative to beekeeping.

ZBA VOTE (No Recommendation): 7 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 Absent Development Committee

VOTE (to Approve): 4 Ayes, 1 Nays, 1 Absent

Chair Rutledge reiterated that this is for informational purposes and there will not be a

vote but encouraged comments and questions. Member Garcia asked for clarification on

the issue between different species of bees and habitat. Presenters Pete Soltesz and

Connie Schmidt provided additional information and clarification. Member DeSart

shared a few comments about other entities being involved in the decision to change the

Zoning Ordinance and shared research regarding different species of bees. Paul Hoss

provided clarification regarding the variety of organizations he had reached out to who

referred him to the Department of Agriculture.

OLD BUSINESS

No old business was discussed.

NEW BUSINESS

No new business was discussed.

ADJOURNMENT

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:22 P.M.