Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPOWERPOINT PRESENTATION PL-CCI-2024-000008 .-�. r oo County counci( Iniflod 1 14 AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 9 AND 25 OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE Ig83, RELATING TO APIARIES AND BEEKEEPING PURPOSE OF BILL 144 The purpose of this bill is to encourage beekeeping in Hawaii County by defining standard apiary management practices for responsible and sustainable beekeeping, and to include apiaries in the list of permitted uses across various zoning districts. W RAT IS AN APIARY? Bill 144 seeks to amend the Hawai ' i County Code Chapter 4 (Animals) and Chapter 25 (Zoning) to define an Apiary as "... a site where one or more colonies of bees and beehives are kept and that are managed in accordance with generally accepted apiary management practices pursuant to section 4-5-4 of this Code." PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CRAPTER4 ANIMALS Bill No. 144 seeks to add generally accepted apiary management standards that include: • Regular inspections of apiaries; • Maintenance of colonies in hives with removable frames; • Maintaining an adequate and accessible supply of fresh water; • Protection of hives from bright lights; • Proactive management of colonies to prevent swarming; • Requirements to mitigate pests; • Thoroughly clean reused hives and beekeeping equipment; • Support year-round bee activity by planting seasonal flowers and species suitable to the regional climate; • Requeen hives and colonies if aggressive behavior is observed; and • Be considerate of neighbors. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CRAPTER4 (ANIMALS) ( • Bill 144 further provides guidance to novice beekeepers to consult with the County Department of Research and Development, State Department of Agriculture, and other entities possessing expertise and experience in apiary management to establish and sustain safe, healthy, and productive hive operations. • Lastly, Bill 144 requires that any nuisance complaints related to beekeeping shall be filed with the vector control division of the State department of health. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CRAPTER 25 (ZONING Bill 144: • Adds apiaries as a permitted use in all zoning districts. Currently, apiaries are only permitted in the Agricultural (A) and Intensive Agricultural (IA) zoning districts; • Removes apiaries from livestock production which also removes the arbitrary 1,000-foot setback requirement for apiaries; • Requires that apiaries be located a minimum of 25 feet from any property line. However, if the apiaries are situated behind a flyover barrier defined by Bill 144 as a solid wall, fence, or dense vegetation—they can be located 15 feet from the property line; and • Limits the amount of hives to no more than fifteen hives on lots smaller than twenty thousand square feet while allowing the Planning Director to grant an exemption for more than fifteen hives on lots that are less than twenty thousand square feet. PLANNING DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDATION The Planning Director recommends that the Planning Commission send a favorable recommendation of Bill 144 to the County Council as currently written.