City Code Chapter
13.30.010 Owner Responsibilities.
(Amended by Ordinance 192002, effective January 10, 2025.)
- A. Requirements and best practice recommendations. All beekeepers must meet the provisions of this Title and any administrative rules for best practices determined applicable by the City Administrator.
- B. Nuisance complaints.Beekeepers are required to respond immediately to remediate nuisance complaints regarding their bees such as, but not limited to: hive placement, swarming, waste removal, watering practices, or hive entrance orientation.
- C. Oregon Department of Agriculture. Beekeepers must comply with all Oregon Department of Agriculture registration requirements.
- D. Neighbor notification. Prior to installing beehives, beekeepers must send a letter to the owners of the properties within 150 feet of the site outlining their intention to keep beehives on their property and how the provisions of this Title and any administrative rules for best practices will be met. The letter must include information on how to contact the beekeeper for more information, to ask questions or to share feedback. Beekeepers must keep documentation to prove this requirement has been met. This requirement is meant to allow neighbors an opportunity to become aware of and comment, in an informal manner, before the beehives are installed. By sharing information and concerns, all involved have the opportunity to identify ways to resolve potential conflicts. While the comments from the neighbors are not binding, a collaborative approach is encouraged.
13.30.020 Apiary Standards.
(Amended by Ordinance 192002, effective January 10, 2025.)
- A. Maximum number of hives. Up to four hives may be kept on any lot. Up to six hives may be kept on lots 10,000 square feet and greater. During the months of April through August an additional three hives may be kept to accommodate the formation of additional hives through the splitting of existing hives or collection of swarms. There is no maximum number of hives on lots that allow agricultural uses through Title 33 Zoning, or that have an approved conditional use.
- B. Maintenance. All hives must be kept in sound and usable condition with adequate space and management techniques to prevent overcrowding and swarming.
- C. Water. There must be a convenient source of water available to the bees at all times during the months of March through October.
- D. Flyaway barrier. Hives must meet one of the following standards that direct bees to fly at an elevation of at least six feet above ground level as they leave the property where their hives are located.
- 1. A flyaway barrier at least six feet in height consisting of a solid wall, fence, dense vegetation or combination thereof established and maintained parallel to the lot line and extends 10 feet beyond the hives in each direction; or
- 2. The hives are located at least 10 feet above ground level; or
- 3. Neighboring structures or vegetation create a flyaway barrier that direct bees to fly at an elevation of at least six feet above ground level as they leave the property where their hives are located.
- E. Setbacks.
- 1. Hives must be located at least three feet from all property lines.
- 2. Hives must be located at least 15 feet from public walkways and streets and any public outdoor spaces used for, but not limited to, seating, playgrounds and recreational fields.
- 3. On lots with more than one residential unit, hives must be located at least 15 feet from the walls of all residential units and any outdoor spaces used for, but not limited to, seating, playgrounds and recreational fields.
- F. Other development standards. If applicable, all structures must comply with the City’s building code and must be consistent with the requirements of any applicable zoning code, condition of approval of a land use decision or other land use regulation.