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Grinnell

Are bees allowed?  Yes, in all districts, upon Approval of Permit ($100 fee + Hearing). See http://www.amlegal.com/codes/client/grinnell_ia/ or read below.

Ch. 55 Animal Protection and Control 55.04    KEEPING OF LIVESTOCK AND BEES. 

1. Permit Required.  It is unlawful for any person to keep or maintain livestock or bees in the City within five hundred (500) feet of any public building or private dwelling without having first obtained a permit issued by the Council after public hearing.  The applicant requesting a permit shall supply to the City the names and addresses of owners of property within 500 feet of the applicant’s property where the livestock will be kept.  The City will be responsible for notifying neighboring property owners of the public hearing.  The applicant shall pay a permit fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) to cover the costs of the hearing.  The permit fee pertaining to this section shall be altered or amended only by the Council.  The permit fee and the public hearing requirement shall be waived for newly annexed properties for which permits shall be automatically granted on application.  No permit shall be issued for any hog confinement operation.

2. Contents of Application for Permit.  The application for permit shall contain the following information, and shall serve as a basis for the permit.

A. Name of owner(s), and location of property where livestock is to be kept.

B. The type of livestock and the maximum number of each type of animal to be kept.

C. Description of the accommodations for the livestock, including land area, and/or buildings to be used for keeping the animals.

3. Validity.  The permit shall be valid as long as the information in the application is accurate.  At any time the information in the application is no longer accurate, the permit shall be void and a new permit shall be required.

4. Exemptions.  Farms with more than fifty percent (50%) of the land in the farm unit outside the corporate limits are exempt from this section.  Section 55.02 shall apply to all farms and portions of farms lying within the corporate limits.

If a nuisance was called: Apiaries without permits would get a warning, followed by request for removal, then Municipal Code Infraction.

Additional notes: None

Contact: Duane Neff

Department: Building and Planning

Title: Director

Email: dneff@grinnelliowa.gov

Phone: 641-236-2600

County: Poweshiek