Are bees allowed? Yes, in lots of minimum size of one acre, agriculture is a permitted use in zoning districts Agriculture A-1; Residential Districts R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5; and Commercial, Arterial and Neighborhood, Districts C-N, C-A. Read excerpt below or see Title 4 Land Use, Ch. 34 Zoning Code at: http://newtongov.org/index.aspx?nid=83
34.0202.010 Agriculture means the use of land for agricultural purposes including farming, dairying, pasturage, apiculture, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture and animal and poultry husbandry and the necessary accessory uses for packing, treating or storing the produce; provided, however, that the operation of any such accessory use shall be secondary to that of normal agricultural activities and provided further that the above uses shall not include the operation of a commercial feed lot.
For non-A-1 districts, Director Chambers refers to Agricultural Conditions of Uses:
34.04010.07 A minimum of one acre is required to keep domestic livestock. No stabling, grazing or tethering area for such livestock shall be located closer than one hundred (100) feet from any residential dwelling on a neighboring property.
If a nuisance was called: No claim could be made. Zoning violation could be filed.
Additional Notes: Chambers does not recognize bees as undomesticated livestock; she classifies them as ‘livestock’ because of the work it would take to amend code. The City is undergoing re-codification currently as of 12 3 2015. Expected date of finished recodification is Feb. 2016.
Map of zoning districts: http://newtongov.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/466
Contact: Erin Chambers
Department: Planning and Zoning
Title: Director
Email: erinc@newtongov.org
Phone: 641-791-0827 ext. 25
County: Jasper