Texas HOA and homeowner feud ignites over bee colony

A lawsuit between a homeowners association and a resident in Conroe, Texas, over a beehive — following claims that board members were allegedly stung — has led to the closure of a local neighborhood park and raised concerns among nearby residents over a lack of grounds maintenance.

The dispute began this summer when Tyra Swanson, a retired Army veteran who has kept bees for a decade, received a notice from the Lake Forest Falls HOA claiming her hives violated deed restrictions. The association alleged that bees from her property may have stung board members visiting nearby Spillway Park.

Swanson, who previously served on the association’s board, keeps the hives in her front yard — a location she says is necessary because shade from nearby trees protects the colony, and her lot is the smallest in the neighborhood. Moving the hives elsewhere on the property is not an option, and relocating them farther could prevent the bees from finding their way back.

“It’s therapy for me,” Swanson told CBS affiliate KHOU 11. “There’s something very peaceful about the hum of the bees, and there are studies done about the health of the hive and breathing in the air from the hive.”

She noted that other neighbors also keep bees and believes her setup is being singled out purely due to its location relative to the park.

“It’s not my bees that are the problem,” Swanson said. “They’ve become the subject because of the proximity. And I’ve received letters from the association where I used to be a board member.”

The dispute has since escalated into mutual lawsuits. Court filings show Swanson is seeking less than $250,000, though she said her primary goal is simply a ruling on whether she breached any deed restrictions.

An attorney representing the homeowners association said in a statement to KHOU 11 that the lawsuit was intended to enforce deed restrictions and protect residents using the neighborhood park.

“There have been incidents where bees located on a lot abutting the park have attacked members,” the attorney said. “The Association does not wish to vilify the owner in a public platform, so my client is keeping the facts of [the] case between the owner, the Association and the Court. The Board of Directors of the Association believes in the justice system and will await the Court’s ultimate judgment.”

In the meantime, the HOA has closed Spillway Park, citing safety risks from bee stings. The decision has drawn frustration from neighbors who want the park maintained and reopened.

Swanson remains hopeful that the situation can be resolved without losing her hives, which have occupied the same spot for five years.

“My hope is that this neighborhood will remain peaceful and that they will go to maintaining the park,” she said.