Part 6 — MOBILEHOMES

Mobilehomes are part of the housing stock of the city of Santa Cruz. It is the intent of the city to provide opportunities for the placement of mobilehomes in residential districts and in mobilehome parks, and to insure that such

In addition to historic alteration permit and administrative use permit findings, and coastal permit findings for projects within the Coastal Zone, the following findings are also required:

24-168.2

(Supp. No. xx – 9/22/2025)

24.12.650

be taken in consideration, with surface of all corrals and animal areas to be graded so as to prevent the accumulation of storm or casual waters;

b. The applicant’s proposed plan for the removal of animal manure from the site and for screening of that portion of the property where animals are to be kept;

c. Proposed measures for prevention of adverse impacts such as noise on adjacent properties or the neighborhood caused by the keeping of such animal.

(Ord. 85-05 § 1 (part), 1985).

1. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to encourage the environmentally beneficial practice of beekeeping in Santa Cruz by ensuring the use of best practices, with a focus on the safety of neighbors, beekeepers and honeybees. This section includes guidance to minimize conflicts between neighbors and the general public while supporting healthy bee colonies.

2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

“Apiary” shall mean any single or group of hives placed together on a property.

“Hive” shall mean the box or boxes in which honeybees are kept and from which honey and honeycomb are collected.

“Responsible beekeeper” shall mean the person or entity responsible for the placement, maintenance and safety of any individual hive or apiary.

3. Standards. In accordance with Section 29000 of the California State Food and Agricultural Code, which states, “A healthy and vibrant apiary industry is important to the economy and welfare of the people of the State of California. Protection and promotion of this important industry is in the interest of the people of the State of California.” Santa Cruz city maintains the lawful keeping of honeybees according to the following standards:

a. The installation and maintenance of apiaries does not require a permit or registration with the city.

b. Apiaries shall be accompanied by a constant, permanent source of water on site with hives. This can be a natural body of water or an artificial water source provided by the responsible beekeeper.

c. Before hives are placed on lots with nonresidential uses, including hives on public land, the responsible beekeeper shall first obtain written consent from the property owner and shall provide written notice to all property owners and tenants within a fifty-foot radius of the hive(s). The notice must include but is not limited to the specific location of the hive(s); the name, telephone, and email contact information for the beekeeper; the name, telephone, and email contact information of the property owner where the hive(s) will be located; and the date on which permission from the property owner is intended to be granted. The notification must be provided to neighbors at least ten days prior to owner permission being granted to the beekeeper. The responsible beekeeper must also clearly stencil their name and phone number on the box’s exterior.

e, and email contact information of the property owner where the hive(s) will be located; and the date on which permission from the property owner is intended to be granted. The notification must be provided to neighbors at least ten days prior to owner permission being granted to the beekeeper. The responsible beekeeper must also clearly stencil their name and phone number on the box’s exterior.

d. Before hives can be placed on multifamily residential-use lots, the responsible beekeeper shall first obtain written consent from the property owner and the homeowner’s association, where one exists, and shall provide written notice to all current residents and owners on the lot or within the residential development that are within a one hundred fifty-foot radius of the hive placement site. The notice must include but is not limited to the specific location of the hive(s); the name, telephone, and email contact information for the beekeeper; the name, telephone, and email contact information of the property owner or homeowner’s association where the hive(s) will be located; and the date on which permission from the property owner or homeowner’s association is intended to be granted. The notification must be provided to neighbors at least ten days

24-171

(Supp. No. xx – 2/9/2023)

24.12.700

prior to owner permission being granted to the beekeeper. The responsible beekeeper must also clearly stencil their name and phone number on the box’s exterior.

e. Within community housing projects or similar developments such as townhouses, hives shall not be placed within ten feet of any private balcony, private yards, or common open space except for those spaces exclusively owned or leased by the responsible beekeeper.

f. Where a hive is located adjacent to a pedestrian right-of-way, including a sidewalk, public trail, or street where no sidewalk has been constructed, hives shall be either:

i. Set back a minimum of ten feet from the pedestrian right-of-way; or ii. Placed behind a barrier at least six feet in height consisting of a nonpenetrable structure not limited to a fence, wall, building or dense vegetation. Fences, walls, and vegetation used to meet this standard shall also comply with Section 24.12.160, and accessory buildings used to meet this standard shall comply with Section 24.12.140.

g. All apiaries shall be maintained and placed in a manner that encourages bees to disperse, rather than concentrate, before potentially encountering neighbors or other members of the public. This requirement may be achieved by any of the following strategies:

i. Positioning hive entrances in such a way that bees are encouraged to fly across the property on which they are kept, orienting the entrances to face the interior of the property.

ii. Placing hive boxes at least ten feet from property lines.

iii. Placing hives behind a barrier at least six feet in height consisting of a nonpenetrable structure not limited to a fence, wall, building or dense vegetation. Fences, walls, and vegetation used to meet this standard shall also comply with Section 24.12.160, and accessory buildings used to meet this standard shall comply with Section 24.12.140.

iv. Placing hives in an elevated position, a minimum of eight feet off the ground. (Ord. 2020-24 § 1, 2020: Ord. 85-05 § 1 (part), 1985).