(a) Abandoned Hive - Includes, but is not limited to, a colony or hive and equipment a beekeeper has ceased to manage, is deserted, not maintained, or left unattended.
(b) Apiary - A hive or collection of hives, including the immediate area surrounding the Hive.
(c) Bees - Any stage of the common domestic honeybee, Apis Mellifera species.
(d) Beekeeper - Any person or persons who owns, operates, maintains, possesses, or otherwise controls a hive or is the owner of property upon which a hive is located.
(e) Colony - A single living group of bees consisting of a queen, workers, and drones.
(f) Flyover Barrier-A solid wall, fence, or dense vegetation or combination thereof that provides an obstruction through which bees cannot readily fly.
(g) Hive - Where a managed colony is located that is kept in a structure intentionally provided by the beekeeper for bee housing.
(h) Neighboring Dwelling - A place where a person resides and may include, but not be limited to, the following: any part of an attached home, unattached residential office, unattached garage, mobile home, guest home, condominium, or apartment.
(i) Undesirable Bee Behavior - Any behavior exhibited by bees that may result in harm to others including, but not limited to, repeated swarming, unpredictability, agitation, or aggressiveness.
(Ord. 26-04)
Beekeepers shall register with the City Clerk the number of hives and the location of each hive within the city limits in January of each year, or thirty (30) days prior to acquiring a hive. This registration process shall also include providing the name and contact information for the property owner and beekeeper. After submitting all required information, the City Clerk will issue a revocable license to the beekeeper. For the year 2026 only, registration shall be completed by June 1, 2026.
(Ord. 26-04)
(a) Beekeepers shall maintain bees in a hive intentionally provided by the beekeeper for bee housing.
(b) The bee housing structure shall have removable frames, which shall be kept in sound and usable condition, to allow full access to the inner bee living quarters for viewing, evaluation, and sampling of the structure and its contents, including but not limited to, drones, workers, queens, beeswax, comb, honey, and pollen.
(c) No more than three (3) hives/colonies shall be allowed on any property within the city limits.
(Ord. 26-04)
Hives/colonies shall be located pursuant to the following requirements:
(a) 25 feet from neighboring dwellings
(b) 15 feet from neighboring property lines
(c) 40 feet from any public road or sidewalk
(d) 40 feet from any public park or school
(e) Hives shall only be located in the rear or side yard.
(Ord. 26-04)
(a) Beekeepers shall ensure that a convenient and sufficient source of water is available at all times to the colonies for as long as colonies remain active outside of the hive. Such water source shall be located on the same property as the colony.
(b) Beekeepers shall regularly inspect hives for undesirable bee behavior or pests and take corrective actions as necessary in a timely manner. If a colony persistently exhibits undesirable bee behavior, the hive shall be re-queened or removed.
(c) Beekeepers shall maintain an adequate flyover barrier of at least six (6) feet in height to shield any part of a property line that is within twenty-five (25) feet of a hive. The barrier shall extend at least twenty (20) feet in both directions from the point on the property line or lines where the hive is closest to the property line(s).
(d) Beekeepers shall ensure that no honeycomb or other materials that might encourage robbing are left on the grounds of the apiary site. Upon removal from the hive, all such materials shall be promptly disposed of in a sealed container.
(e) No person shall transport a colony of bees between the hours of sunrise to sunset or cause bees to be transported during this time unless the bees are transported in a vehicle with screens or other devices that will prevent bees from escaping the vehicle.
(f) Abandoned hives shall be promptly removed from the property.
(Ord. 26-04)
(a) A designated City official shall have the right to inspect any apiary or hive for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this Article.
(b) The City may revoke a license at any time, or decline to renew a license, due to any failure to comply with the applicable requirements contained in this Article. Notice of any intended revocation or non-renewal of a license shall be given in writing to the license holder at the address provided on the registration application. The notice will identify the reason(s) for such action, and the revocation or non-renewal shall become effective ten (10) days thereafter unless the license holder has by such time submitted to the City Clerk a written request for a hearing on the matter before the governing body. If a request is received, the revocation or non-renewal shall not be effective unless upheld by the governing body following a hearing thereon. The license holder shall be given not less than ten (10) days’ notice of the date, time and place of any such hearing.
(c) Compliance with this Article shall not be a defense to a proceeding alleging that a given apiary, hive, or colony constitutes a nuisance, but such compliance may be offered as evidence of the beekeeper’s efforts to abate any proven nuisance.
(d) Any person who shall be convicted of violating any provisions of this Article shall be punished pursuant to the General Penalty set forth in Section 1-116. Each day that a violation of this Article occurs shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable hereunder as a separate violation.
(Ord. 26-04)