Resident urges alternatives to bee extermination during facility maintenance

During public comment David Bennett (record number 137887) described repeated bee‑removal episodes at Sun City West, saying that when beehives appear local practice has generally been to destroy the bees rather than relocate them. Bennett said the community has tried to engage beekeepers elsewhere but “Down here they just destroy them,” and urged the committee to consider alternatives that preserve pollinators.

Committee members and staff responded: staff explained that in the instance they had identified, most bees left and the remainder were killed; committee members asked staff to investigate using beekeepers instead of extermination going forward. The committee asked staff to follow up on the approach and costs of alternative removal methods.