Dimensional standards
Servicing
- Geographic extent
- Single-familySingle-family dwellingOne dwelling unit on its own lot, usually detached from its neighbours. residential property
Uses
Permitted by right1
Extracted standards
14 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.
Fencing & walls
- Hive entrance facing dwelling or fence heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.6 ft
All hives must have the entrance facing a dwelling or building on the property that the apiary is registered in or to be surrounded by a solid perimeter fence not less than six feet in height.
Other
- Distance from churchReligious facilityA building used for organised worship, often with halls and schools attached., school, public building, dairy, or corral1,000 ft
Prior to placing an apiary within a one thousand-foot radius of a church, school, public building, dairy, or corral, the hobbyist beekeeper must obtain written permission from such entities.
- Apiary registration required
must register any operating apiary with the Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner
- Apiary renewal deadline
Continuing hobbyist beekeepers must renew their registered apiary within thirty days after January 1 of each year.
- Hives over 6 feet must be anchored6 ft
Any hives that exceeds six feet in height must be anchored with ratchet straps
- Hive location
All hives must be located in a side yard or backyard
- Hive setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from rear property line25 ft
All hives must be located at least twenty-five feet from the rear property line
- Hive setbackSetbackThe distance a building must be held back from a lot line. from side property line10 ft
and at least ten feet from the side yard property line that the apiary is registered in.
- Maximum hives for lot 5,000-10,000 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.1 hives
A hobbyist beekeeper can keep one hive on a property with a lot size between five thousand square feet and ten thousand square feet.
- Maximum hives for lot over 10,000 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.2 hives
Up to two hives can be kept on property with a lot size exceeding ten thousand square feet.
- Maximum hives with neighbor consent for 5,000-10,000 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.2 hives
With written unanimous consent from adjacent property owners, property with a lot size between five thousand square feet and ten thousand square feet can keep up to two hives
- Maximum hives with neighbor consent for over 10,000 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000.3 hives
property with a lot size exceeding ten thousand square feet can keep up to three hives.
- Water supply within distance of hives3 ft
All hives in an apiary must have an adequate supply of water within three feet of the hives
Signage
- Hive labeling required
All hives must have the owner's name, owner's phone number and address, and apiary registration number, visibly displayed in dark letters in front of each hive entrance.
From the ordinance
Hobbyist beekeeper in single-family residential property must register any operating apiary with the Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner.