Fremont All Abuzz Over New Beekeeping Ordinance

FREMONT, CA — Fremont City Council adopted several amendments to its animal ordinance during its March 7 meeting that should make keeping bees within city limits much easier for those interested in doing so.

As part of the revised ordinance, which goes into effect April 6, 2023, oversight and enforcement of beekeeping by city staff is greatly reduced.

The amendments adopted by council includes elimination of the requirement that beekeepers obtain a permit from the city of Fremont along with elimination of limits on the number of beehives that an individual may maintain.

Other changes to the ordinance include a reduction of restrictions surrounding bee-hive placement, simplification and elimination of beekeeping procedural language and the aforementioned reduction of city's role in enforcement and compliance.

With the new changes, some restrictions remain in place including; beehives must be kept at least five feet away from property lines, hives must be registered with Alameda County as required under Food & Agriculture code section 29040. Beekeeping equipment and beehives are still required to be maintained in good condition with adequate space and management techniques to prevent overcrowding and swarming.

One of the biggest changes to come following council's adoption of the proposed amendments is the city will now allow beehives on multi-family balconies or patios.

Before beehives can be placed on Multiple Dwelling lots, the responsible beekeeper must obtain written consent from the property owner and/or the homeowner’s association, where one exists,
and has to provide written notice to all current residents and owners on the lot or within the residential development that are within a 150 foot radius of the hive placement site to include the specific location of the beehive, the city said.

According to the ordinance, notification must be provided to neighbors at least 10 days prior to owner permission being granted to the beekeeper. The responsible beekeeper must also clearly stencil their name and phone number on the box’s exterior.

To learn about changes to the Animal Ordinance, visit the Tri-City Animal Shelter’s website.