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Resident urges county to revisit apiary setbacks, recommends tiered approach for small vs. commercial hives
Summary
A resident urged the board to direct staff to review County Code §7-31 on apiary setbacks, arguing small residential hives differ from concentrated commercial placements and asking for tiered rules to protect native bees and neighbor concerns.
During general public comment, resident and property owner Fred Roso urged the board to direct staff to revisit County Code §7-31 (the county’s apiary ordinance). Roso told the board that fixed setback rules can effectively prohibit small homeowner hives on many rural parcels and that the ordinance treats small residential apiaries the same as large commercial pollination placements.
He cited scientific literature on possible competition between introduced honeybees and native bees where colonies are concentrated and suggested the county consider a tiered framework that recognizes scale, duration and management practices. "The city of Santa Barbara's beekeeping framework is also worth considering," Roso said, and he asked staff to refer §7-31 for review and return the ordinance on a future public agenda with options to allow small managed hives while safeguarding native bee habitat and neighbors.
Roso submitted supporting materials and thanked the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office for assistance during his research.
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