Gabriel Jacobs, an Evanston, Ill., teenager, spent a year researching bees and was ready to bring home 12,000 bees when neighbors became concerned.

Some of Jacobs' neighbors say having a hive that could grow to accommodate 60,000 to 80,000 bees poses a danger to the neighborhood, which has small lots and is home to children and pets.

Major cities, including Chicago, not only support the practice but encourage beekeeping. The rooftop of City Hall is home to two hives