Glenn County Municipal Code Art. I General Provisions

• 7.30.020 Definitions 7.30.030 Right Of Entry

• 7.30.040 Interference With Commissioner

• 7.30.050 Identification Sign Required

• 7.30.060 Permission Required

• 7.30.070 Registration Of Apiaries

• 7.30.080 Location Of Apiaries

• 7.30.090 Availability Of Water

• 7.30.100 Transporting Bees

• 7.30.110 Shipping And Arrival

• 7.30.120 Keeping Of Africanized Honey Bees

This chapter shall be known as the Glenn County Beekeeping and Apiaries Ordinance. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

For the purpose of this chapter, For the purpose of this chapter, the following words, names and terms, shall be construed, unless the context otherwise requires, as provided in this section. Any word or phrase used in this chapter and not defined in this section shall be given the meaning established for such word or phrase by Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 29000) of Division 13 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

1. “Africanized Honey Bee” means any bee population that is Apis Mellifera Scullata, as determined by DNA testing by California Department of Food & Agriculture Laboratory.

2. “Commissioner” means the Agricultural Commissioner of Glenn County, or his designated agent.

3. “Resident Bees” means bees that have not left the Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Shasta, and Tehama County area for more than a twenty four (24) hour period.

4. “Non-resident bees” means bees that have been located outside the Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Shasta, and Tehama county area for more than a 24 hour period.

5. “Host” and “possible carriers” mean and include bee colonies, packaged bees and queen bees of the species Apis Mellifera, comb, used hives, and any other appliance used in the association with bee colonies, packaged bees and queen bees of the species Apis Mellifera. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

The Commissioner is hereby empowered to enter upon any premises where an apiary is maintained or upon which he has reason to believe that bees are kept in order to carry into effect the provisions of this chapter. Where required by law or otherwise deemed appropriate by the Commissioner, the Commissioner may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for a warrant authorizing entry upon the premises. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to interfere with the official actions of the commissioner. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

It is unlawful for any person to maintain an apiary on premises other than that of his or her residence without having the apiary identified as follows:

1. By a sign prominently displayed on the entrance side of the apiary stating in black letters not less than one inch in height on a background of contrasting color either:

   1. The name of the owner or person in possession of the apiary, his or her address and telephone number, or, if he or she has no telephone, a statement to that effect;

2. The lettering or number shall be printed or stenciled, or equivalent thereto. (Ord. 1269 § 10, 2018; Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

No apiary shall be kept or located upon the lands of another without the owner or the person in possession of the apiary first procuring from the owner or person entitled to possession of the lands written permission to place the apiary thereon, and, upon request, satisfactory evidence of such permission shall be furnished to the Commissioner. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

All apiaries located within Glenn County each January 1, or within 30 days thereafter, shall register each with the Glenn County Agricultural Commissioner. A ten dollar ($10.00) fee is required to cover the cost of registration which consists of listing the location of each apiary and the number of colonies at each location. Newly acquired apiaries or apiaries brought into Glenn County during any other month of the year that are not registered in another California County shall be required to register and pay the appropriate fee within 30 days of entering the County. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

• 7.30.080 Location Of Apiaries

1. No person shall place or keep any apiary or cause or allow any apiary to remain closer than three hundred (300) feet to any house or building used as a dwelling other than a house or building owned or possessed by that person. The restrictions of this subsection are subject to the following exceptions:

   1. If the residential use is begun after an apiary is in year-round operation, the three hundred (300) foot limitation shall apply only upon a separate determination by the Agricultural Commissioner that there are bees from such apiary which are entering land, other than where such apiary is situated, in an amount such as to endanger public health or safety, or to create unreasonable interference with the use of property of others.

   2. The three hundred (300) foot limitation does not apply if adequate flight dispersing barriers (such as a fence, tree or line of trees or building) are constructed and maintained which, in the judgment of the Agricultural Commissioner, serve to prevent the apiary or apiaries from constituting a nuisance to nearby residents or the public.

   3. The three hundred (300) foot limitation does not apply if the person placing or keeping the apiary has written permission from the affected resident waiving the distance requirement.

2. No person shall place or keep any apiary or cause or allow an apiary to remain closer than one hundred (100) feet from the exterior line of the traveled portion of a public road right of way without the prior approval of the Commissioner except for temporary purposes of transporting the same or pollination of a agricultural crop (pollinating apiaries are no longer exempt (30) days after crop bloom is complete). The Commissioner may adopt rules generally permitting placement or keeping of apiaries within one hundred feet from any public right of way, subject to conditions prescribed by the Commissioner, provided that such placement or keeping shall be consistent with generally accepted agricultural practices in Glenn County, as determined by the Commissioner.

3. No person shall maintain an apiary in any manner that prevents or hinders access to the inside of any hive for inspection by an authorized apiary inspector.

4. No apiary shall be maintained in any location whenever there are bees from such apiary which are entering land, other than where such apiary is situated, in an amount such as to endanger public health or safety, or to create unreasonable interference with the use of property of others, as determined by the Commissioner.

5. Any person in possession or control of an apiary shall, within five days after receipt of a written request therefore from the Commissioner, provide to the Commissioner a written list of the number and current locations of all colonies of bees in his or her possession or control within the county. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

No person shall place or keep any apiary or beehive, or cause to allow any apiary or beehive to remain in any location unless one of the following conditions exists:

1. There is a natural water supply in existence within a distance of one (1) mile from the apiary or beehive, but no such natural water supply shall be at a greater distance from the apiary than any artificial water supply maintained by any party who has not consented in writing to the placement of the apiary or hive; or

2. A plentiful supply of fresh water is maintained by the beekeeper adjacent to the apiary or beehive, which water supply shall not be further than fifty (50) yards from any such apiary or beehive. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

1. No person shall transport bees on the public highway or roads in such a manner that the bees will become a nuisance to the public or create unreasonable interference with the use of property of others.

2. No person transporting bees shall maintain the vehicle used to transports such bees in a stationary position for such a length of time as to create a nuisance to the public or create unreasonable interference with the use of property of others. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

Anyone bringing in shipments of non-resident bees, hosts and possible carriers into the County shall notify the Agricultural Commissioner within forty eight (48) hours upon arrival with the following exception. EXCEPTION: Resident bees from Butte, Colusa, Tehama, and Shasta Counties shall only have to notify the Commissioner each year upon their first movement of apiaries into Glenn County. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

No person shall willingly and knowingly keep an apiary of Africanized honey bees until such time as the Commissioner declares that the keeping of apiaries in the County that are free from Africanized Honey Bee is no longer possible. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)

This chapter shall in all respects be construed to supplement and harmonize with the provisions of the laws of the State pertaining to bees and the beekeeping industry. (Ord. 1201 § 1, 2008.)