§ 4-5. Beekeeping restrictions.
(a)
Definitions . The following words shall have the following meanings:
(1)
"Beekeeper" - a person who keeps and maintains honey bees in hives.
(2)
"Colony" - the entire honey bee family or social unit living together including the queen, workers and drones.
(3)
"Flyway barrier" - fencing, dense hedging or a combination of the two (2), which provides a shield or protective barrier from the direction in which the honey bees fly when approaching or leaving a hive.
(4)
"Hive" - a frame or structure used or employed as a domicile for honey bees.
(b)
Requirements . Hives and colonies may only be kept or maintained in the city pursuant to the following:
(1)
Hives maintained on a residential property may only be located in a property zoned in a Residence A or Residence B district.
(2)
Hives shall only be maintained in the rear yard of a residential lot and there shall be at least a fifteen (15) foot radius of unbuilt upon land space contained within said residential lot surrounding each hive.
(3)
On any lot that does not have a fence on all sides of the of the rear yard, hives must be maintained fifteen (15) feet from any property line and the beekeeper must install a flyway barrier that is at least six (6) feet in height and no further than four (4) feet in front of the hive entrance.
(c)
Restriction and penalties .
(1)
No person shall keep or maintain a hive or colony of honey bees that is not in compliance with the provisions of [subsections (a) through (c)].
(2)
Any person violating any of the provisions of [subsection (b) through (c)] shall be required to pay a fine of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) and remove the hive or colony and any equipment used in the keeping thereof from the premises within forty-eight (48) hours.
(3)
Each violation shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. Every day any violation shall continue beyond the first forty-eight (48) hours shall constitute a separate offense.
(Code 1963, § 14-162; Ord. of 7-15-76; Ord. of 7-20-2017)