Are Bee Hives Allowed In The Neighborhood?

The Laurelhurst Community Club forwarded us some information received from the Department of Development and Planning, after an inquiry from a neighbor about restrictions on having a bee hive on her property.

LCC told us they first tried to track down information on bee hives in the municipal code and came up with nothing.  Then, they contacted the director of the Department of Planning and Development and one of the staff members found the beekeeping code provision for LCC.

LCC thought this information might be helpful to others:

Here’s an excerpt from section 23.42.052 of the Seattle Land Use Code:

• E. Beekeeping. Beekeeping is permitted outright as an accessory use, whenregistered with the State Department of Agriculture, provided that:
• 1. No more than four hives, each with only one swarm, are allowed on lots ofless than 10,000 square feet.
• 2. Hives shall not be located within 25 feet of any lot line except whensituated 8 feet or more above the grade immediately adjacent to the grade ofthe lot on which the hives are located or when situated less than 8 feetabove the adjacent existing lot grade and behind a solid fence or hedge six(6) feet high parallel to any lot line within 25 feet of a hive andextending at least 20 feet beyond the hive in both directions.
• If the lot happens to be 10,000 sq. ft or greater, then there is no limit on the number of hives so long as the setback requirements are met. 

(clipart courtesy of http://www.clker.com/)