Typically, beekeepers must obtain a local permit in addition to state licensing requirements, and local governments reserve the right to inspect hives if needed. Many codes specify minimum distances between hives and adjacent buildings or property lines, require "flyway barriers" to prevent bees from flying to adjacent properties, and require on-site water sources to keep bees from flocking to neighboring swimming pools or bird baths. Local beekeeping standards typically establish limits on the number and location of hives based on the size of the lot or the zoning district where the bees are being kept. For example, one Virginia HOA found itself on the hook for 400,000 in legal fees in a case that originated over a dispute about a member’s election sign being four inches too high. In some communities, an annual license or permit is required for keeping urban livestock. An HOA may have trouble enforcing its rules if it goes beyond what its Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) say it can do. Some ordinances address on-site sales of eggs, honey, or milk. Typical ordinance provisions include limits on the number of chickens or goats per lot, minimum lot sizes (especially for miniature goats), prohibitions on keeping roosters or slaughtering chickens on-site, setbacks from property lines and neighboring structures, coop or enclosure design and construction standards, and waste disposal and feed storage requirements. Swine (pigs) are often prohibited from residential districts altogether, though some communities allow miniature potbellied pigs to be kept as household pets.īackyard chickens, and in some cases other fowl and pygmy (miniature) goats, are more widely permitted in residential districts. Greater numbers of, or smaller minimum lot sizes for, sheep and goats may be allowed based on their smaller sizes and lighter impacts. When the keeping of larger farm animals such as horses and cows is allowed, it is limited to larger lots with adequate room for the stables and pastures needed to house these animals and mitigate their impacts. Some have adopted a comprehensive set of regulations addressing all types of farm animals, while others have focused only on one type of animal-for example, backyard chickens or bees. Most communities regulate residential livestock through animal codes that live outside of the land development regulations, though more jurisdictions are adding urban livestock provisions to their zoning codes. Education, Work, and Experience Verification
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