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Resident urges Santa Monica to allow hobbyist beekeeping on public land
Summary
University professor and hobbyist beekeeper Susan Doppia asked commissioners to change city code to allow hobbyist beekeepers to keep hives on city property and parks, citing inclusion, local pollinator decline, and Long Beach’s sanctuary model as examples.
Susan Doppia, a university professor and hobbyist beekeeper, used the commission’s public‑comment period on April 20 to urge Santa Monica to change its municipal code so hobbyist beekeepers can keep beehives on publicly owned sites like parks, rooftops and abandoned lots.
Doppia argued that limiting hives to privately owned lots excludes many renters and lower‑income residents and that a city‑supported sanctuary program would both protect bees and provide rehoming for swarms. "Sustainability activism should be a right, not a privilege," Doppia said, describing Long Beach’s sanctuary model (140+ members providing education and swarm rehoming) as a working example.
Commissioners asked whether the city has a registration or mapping system for existing hives; speakers said Los Angeles County requires annual registration for private lots and that Santa Monica staff and animal‑control responders sometimes lack clear options for rescuing or relocating swarms. Doppia encouraged staff and the commission to consider a closed‑loop approach that rehabilitates swarms and increases public access to beekeeping education.
No formal commission action was taken; Doppia said she had briefed City Council previously and would follow up with the commission and staff.
