Anyone who is interested in Oak Park legalizing beekeeping within its borders can have their say Tuesday night. The village is hosting a hearing, originally scheduled for last week, on Oct. 5, at village hall. 

Beekeeping is currently considered a “nuisance” under Oak Park law, punishable by a fine of up to $750. Last year, an Oak Park resident set about trying to get the practice legalized locally.

That process will get buzzing on Tuesday, as the Oak Park Board of Health is hosting a hearing at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 5, at Village Hall, 123 Madison. The event will give residents a chance to weigh in on the topic of legalized beekeeping in Oak Park.

The hearing will also include testimony from a representative of the Illinois Beekeepers Association, along with Dr. Paul Luning, a medical consultant to the Oak Park Health Department. Margaret Provost-Fyfe, director of that department, said last week that the Board of Health will make a recommendation to the village board on beekeeping by the end of the year.

"I would expect that they would get something together in writing in a timely manner, because they do have other things on their agenda," she said.