Supervisors recommend tiered beekeeping ordinance

Hobbyists, non-apiary farmers, and other commercial beekeepers desired a reduction in County of San Diego setback requirements for keeping hives. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors, who previously responded to regulatory relief requests from small winery owners and small equestrian operations by developing tiered ordinances, recommended the same approach for beekeeping within the unincorporated county.

The supervisors' May 21 meeting produced a 5-0 vote to give county staff direction to focus on a tiered ordinance and to work with stakeholders. The ordinance will require an Environmenta...