Redding Municipal Code Ch. 7.08 Bees

No person shall keep, have, maintain or protect upon his or her premises, or any premises or lot within the city, any apiary or colony, hive, cluster, or swarm of stinging insects other than bees pursuant to the following provisions:

A. Any person keeping bees for noncommercial purposes shall obtain a zoning clearance from the development services director and provide an affidavit certifying that the owner understands and agrees to comply with the following requirements:

1. Any owner/occupant of a lot within any zoning district containing at least six thousand square feet of lot area and a single-family dwelling may keep up to three colonies of bees. Each colony shall be housed within a hive.

2. Hives shall be comprised of a combination of brood chamber and supers which do not exceed six feet in height above ground level, including any stand or rack upon which the hives are placed.

3. Hives shall be registered with the Shasta County Agricultural Commissioner's Office pursuant to California Food and Agricultural Code § 29040.

4. Minimum six-foot tall flight dispersion barriers (e.g. solid fences, walls, and/or hedges) shall be maintained in a good state of repair to the satisfaction of the development services director.

5. An appropriately sized water source for the exclusive use of the colonies shall be maintained on the same property where the colonies are kept to the satisfaction of the development services director. In the event there is a natural or artificial water source on an abutting residential property, the colonies must be positioned nearer to the on-site water source than the off-site water source.

6. Applicants shall provide a site plan or other information determined necessary by the development services director to determine compliance with this section.

7. No person shall willingly and knowingly keep Africanized bees.

B. The keeping of bees for commercial purposes shall be permissible pursuant to the following provisions:

1. Any person keeping bees for commercial purposes on properties with a lot area of five acres or greater within a Residential District or on properties of any size within a non-Residential District shall obtain a zoning clearance from the development services director and provide an affidavit certifying that the owner understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this section.

2. No person shall keep bees for commercial purposes on properties with a lot area of less than five acres within a Residential District unless a use permit has been granted pursuant to Chapter 18.14 of the Redding Zoning Ordinance.

3. Hives shall be maintained at least one hundred feet from public streets and highways, except for temporary purposes of transporting hives, unless a use permit has been granted which permits a reduced setback.

4. Hives shall be situated no closer than three hundred feet from any off-site residence or dwelling, unless a use permit has been granted which permits a reduced setback.

5. Commercial apiaries shall be a minimum of one mile from any nucleus apiary, except where:

a. The nucleus apiary less than one mile away is registered to the same person; or

b. Written permission is provided to the Shasta County Agricultural Commissioner from the owner of the encroached upon nucleus apiary.

6. Hives shall be registered with the Shasta County Agricultural Commissioner's Office pursuant to California Food and Agricultural Code § 29040.

7. Applicants shall provide a site plan or other information determined necessary by the development services director to determine compliance with this section.

8. No person shall willingly and knowingly keep Africanized bees.

(Prior code § 5-8)

(Ord. No. 2565, § 1, 2-7-2017)

All beekeepers or other persons transporting bees through the city shall place on each hive, object or other container containing bees the current active registered brand number of the owner of the bees, or the identification number assigned to him or her by the director of agriculture pursuant to Article 9, Chapter 3a, Division 2 of the Agricultural Code of the state.

(Prior code § 5-8.1)

No person shall transport bees on the public streets of this city in such a manner that the bees may become a nuisance to the public.

(Prior code § 5-8.2)

No person transporting bees shall park or otherwise keep in a stationary position the motor vehicle used to transport such bees on any street within the city limits for a period of time longer than twenty minutes.

(Prior code § 5-8.3)

Enforcement of the provisions of this chapter may include, but are not limited to, civil and equitable remedies as permitted by state law and the issuance of a citation and fine, or other administrative process or remedy as provided by Chapters 1.12, 1.13, or 1.14 of the Redding Municipal Code. Upon notification by the city, any keeping of bees in violation of the requirements of this section must terminate operations immediately. Further, a use permit issued under the authority of this section may be revoked in accordance with the procedures established in Chapter 18.11 of the Redding Municipal Code.

(Ord. No. 3565, § 2, 2-7-2017)

For the purpose of this chapter, the following words, names and terms shall be construed, unless the context otherwise requires, as follows:

A. "Apiary" shall have the meaning assigned to it by California Food and Agricultural Code § 29002 as it may be amended from time to time.

B. "Bees" means honey-producing insects of the genus Apis.

C. "Brood Chamber" means a box devoted to the rearing of immature bees.

D. "Colony" means one hive and its contents, including bees, comb, and appliances.

E. "Hive" means a receptacle or container made for the use of bees.

F. "Nucleus Apiary" means an apiary registered with the Shasta County Agricultural Commissioner's Office with nucleus colonies primarily used for queen bee rearing and mating.

G. "Super" means a box with frames in which honey is produced.

(Ord. No. 3565, § 2, 2-7-2017)