UPDATE 7/10/25:

The agenda item referencing Urban Beekeeping in Santa Rosa scheduled for the July 17 Zoning Administration Meeting has been postponed while city officials continue to do research. 

Thank you to everyone who has sent in letters, emails, and made phones calls. Thank you also to the Santa Rosa City Council and those at the Santa Rosa City Ordinance office for listening to our concerns and taking time to deal with this complicated situation.

This situation is constantly evolving, and we will update as we know more information.

The issue

• Santa Rosa's zoning code currently does not list beekeeping as a "permitted use".
• A formal zoning code interpretation is being prepared to determine if non-commercial beekeeping is allowed.
• The city has cited restrictions that apply only in certain contexts (eg commercial use, or nuisances) - not beekeeping in general.

We believe that:

• Beekeeping is not prohibited in the code;
• Exceptions exist that support our interpretation;
• The code should not be changed—we are not asking for new language, only a correct understanding of what's already there.

More info on the similarities and consistency between beekeeping and the existing zoning rules can be found here.

We believe that responsible, small-scale urban beekeeping should be allowed.  Honey bees are a vital pollinator that support gardens, native plants and food systems. City staff and the zoning administrator are reviewing this issue now.  Public input can help shape how beekeeping is interpreted and supported. 

Meeting info

Zoning Administrator Meeting:
Thursday, July 17, 2025
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

AGENDA ITEM POSTPONED: We will update when we know more information

Next steps

We will keep you all updated here as this progresses.