Santa Barbara County’s amateur beekeepers can rejoice, as the Board of Supervisors took the first step toward allowing “appropriately scaled” beekeeping in unincorporated areas of the county.
Beekeepers in towns such as Summerland, Isla Vista, and the Santa Ynez Valley have long complained of unfair restrictions that have prevented them from maintaining hives on their properties.
“I was a beekeeper at some point, so I had some knowledge that the setbacks are pretty stringent in unincorporated areas,” said Supervisor Joan Hartmann, who sponsored the item.
During the very short hearing on Tuesday, Gina Fischer, Hartmann’s chief of staff, noted the county’s current setbacks “effectively exclude most homes” and small farms from beekeeping, requiring hives to be 300 feet from property lines (except for crop pollination); and 600 feet from another person’s residence (unless the occupant gives permission); and providing little opportunity for beekeeping on smaller parcels.
Current standards also do not “meaningfully distinguish” a few backyard hives from a larger commercial operation, she said.
Now, they are asking staff to change those standards to be less restrictive.
Fischer said the goal is relatively straightforward: to create a practical pathway for responsible beekeeping with standards that address neighborhood compatibility, public safety, and the protection of native pollinators. The new regulations will explicitly consider native bees and address concerns such as flight paths, swarms, and fire safety.
It was an idea that came from the public, particularly one of Supervisor Hartmann’s constituents in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Beekeeper Fred Razo (a retired administrator for the Santa Barbara Unified School District), said it was his third time presenting during public comment on the issue. He said he was there on behalf of the residents, beekeepers, and pollinator advocates throughout Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley who care deeply about pollinators and have long advocated for reduced restrictions on small-scale beekeeping.
“Thank you for hearing us,” Razo said.
Staff, led by the Agricultural Commissioner, were directed to return within six months with proposed ordinance amendments and an associated environmental review, as well as details on implementation and cost considerations. All boardmembers were on board.
“It’s a shame that it’s not lawful for you to be able to have bees in a residentially zoned property,” said Supervisor Bob Nelson, who added that they met with the Santa Barbara Beekeepers Association several times on the topic. “I’m glad we’re going to do something about it.”
