Roger

Diane

-Matt

George

§2-3-125 - Local Government Regulations and Ordinances Regarding Honeybees and Hives

No county, municipal corporation, consolidated government, or other political subdivision of this
state shall adopt or continue in effect any ordinance, rule, regulation, or resolution prohibiting,
impeding, or restricting the establishment or maintenance of honeybees in hives. This provision
shall not be construed to restrict the zoning authority of a county or municipal government to
establish appropriate locations for apiaries

The full article can be read here. The quoted part is on page 9.

George

Beekeeping shall be allowed in all zoning districts within the city. However, when bees are kept in urban zoning districts (all zoning districts except A-1, A-2 and P-F) the following provisions shall apply:
1.
No such beekeeping shall be allowed until the keeper of such bees has registered his beekeeping operation with the city and paid a fee specified in the fee schedule;
2.
The density of colonies on any lot may not exceed one colony of bees for each two thousand five hundred (2,500) square feet of lot area;
3.
Colonies shall not be located within thirty-five (35) feet of any property line, except:
a.
When situated at least eight feet above adjacent ground level; or
b.
When situated less than six feet above adjacent ground level and behind a solid fence, wall, dense evergreen hedge or effective equivalent having a height of not less than six feet and parallel to each property line within thirty-five (35) feet of the hive. Such fence shall extend at least thirty (30) feet beyond the hive in both directions or the full length of the property line to which the fence is parallel whichever is the lesser;
4.
The beekeeper shall maintain fresh water sources on his lot for his bees during all the times that bees fly from the hives;
5.
All colonies shall be maintained in movable frame hives, and mature colonies shall be housed in two full-depth brood chambers; and
6.
Each beekeeper shall register his beekeeping operation with the State Board of Agriculture as required by state law.

My lot doesn't allow me enough space to keep the bees more than 35 ft from the property line, so that is why they would have to be up on my roof. When DH found out they would have to be kept up high for us, he didn't want anything else to do with it.

Plus, in our animal code, there is a clause about neighbors being bothered about your animals. Anyone can go to the city council and make a case about why your animals bother them and are a nuisance. Then you can get your permit revoked. Even a dog that is a barker can get you fined. Living in a large city has its perks, but also has it's downside! FYI-- I can't do the 6 ft fence because we have a code against a fence or anything similar higher than 4ft coming in front of your home. I sit on a corner lot & half of the lot is in front of my home, even though it isn't "in front of my home"! We do have a privacy fence that runs on the back of our property line, the rest of my lot is reg 4 ft chainlink fence.

I used to keep bees in Louisiana when my Grandfather’s health went down and he could not maintain his hives. In Oklahoma I have not taken them up but would like to. I fear, even if I did not get complaints from neighbors that I would have trouble keeping the hive healthy with the way people use insecticides in the suburban city. Anyway, He kept his 2 home hives on timbers above a 10’ x 10’ cinderblock compost bin. He felt height kept the bee pathways above garden level and road traffic.
I was at Horn Seed Company on the north side of town last fall and they had bee keeping supplies (foundation, frames and whatnots) in stock, so that leads me to think they have at least a few people local that have active hives.
Best book I have seen for the novice and dreamer on keeping bees in the home garden is "Keeping Bees" by John Vivian

Christopher
S. OKC