# Local bylaw restrictions **URL:** \ **Category:** General Bee Chat\ **Created:** [August 20, 2015, 1:57pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998 "2015-08-20T13:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dave\_Edwards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Dave\_Edwards](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dave_Edwards)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:57pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998/1 "2015-08-20T13:57:34Z")
Has anyone come up against local bylaws that include bees in their restricted ‘animals’ list? If so, how have you gotten around it? ---
**Author:** ![sara](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/sara/32/696_2.png) [@sara](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sara)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998/2 "2015-08-20T14:00:22Z")
I haven’t myself, San Francisco allows bee keeping with in the city/county limits. But the phrases “It’s easier to get forgiveness than permission” and “Least said, soonest mended” come to mind. But my mind works like that ; -) ---
**Author:** ![DextersShed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dextersshed/32/405_2.png) [@DextersShed](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/DextersShed)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998/3 "2015-08-20T14:15:13Z")
This post was flagged by the community and is temporarily hidden. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Edwards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Dave\_Edwards](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dave_Edwards)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998/4 "2015-08-20T14:49:26Z")
Sara, I’m inclined to just go ahead and deal with it if it becomes a problem, which it wouldn’t unless a neighbour complains. Dexters, good point on the ‘keeping’ or ‘providing’ argument (I’m in Canada, but these bylaws are at the municipal level). And it’s not a commercial operation. Thanks folks. ---
**Author:** ![adagna](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/adagna/32/31728_2.png) [@adagna](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/adagna)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998/5 "2015-08-20T18:17:29Z")
The city of Phoenix proper is the only city near me that has any restrictions that I have been able to find. Their only stipulation is that all your adjoining neighbors have to be informed and consent to the beehives being on your property unless they are some ungodly number of feet from a property line which in the city itself is always going to be impossible to achieve. It’s possible you could apply for a variance, permit or something like that as long as you have the support and consent of your neighbors. ---
**Author:** ![adagna](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/adagna/32/31728_2.png) [@adagna](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/adagna)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998/6 "2015-08-20T18:19:13Z")
That is pretty amazing… San Francisco loves to outlaw and restrict nearly everything it can get its hands on lol. It is by far the most regulated and restrictive city I have ever lived in… ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Edwards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Dave\_Edwards](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dave_Edwards)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/local-bylaw-restrictions/2998/7 "2015-08-20T18:41:39Z")
Getting a variance is a thought, but then it gives them a heads up. If it gets denied, I’m sure I’d have a bylaw officer peering over the fence every week. They’re pretty anal about their bylaws. This winter someone put up a small, temporary skating rink in their front yard and someone complained that it didn’t look good (who cares in the middle of winter). The Town told them to take it down and didn’t relent until after it was reported on the news and they were inundated with social media barbs. If I do go for approval, I might go forward with the environmental angle that bee populations are dying out and we all need to do our part to save the bees. I might even get a T-shirt with that slogan…