Apple Valley, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Apple Valley's Development Code treats beekeeping as an agricultural use restricted to its lowest-density residential zones. 030(I), Bee Hives, permits hives only in the Very Low Density Residential (R-VLD), Residential Agriculture (R-A), and Low Density Residential (R-LD) districts, and only on lots of two and one-half acres or larger; the Single Family Residential, Estate Residential, and Multi-Family districts are not on the list, so a hive there is not a permitted use. Within an eligible lot, hives and their water source must sit at least 100 feet from every property line and at least 400 feet from any street, road, highway, public school, park, established bus stop, or any dwelling other than the one occupied by the beekeeper or the apiary's caretaker.

The code requires a continuous, on-site fresh water source to be in place before the hives are even installed, which keeps foraging bees from congregating at neighbors' pools or irrigation. Density is capped at a maximum of eight hives for every two and one-half acres of lot area, so a beekeeper on a five-acre R-A parcel could keep up to 16 hives, subject to meeting every setback on the property. 030-A that determines whether agricultural uses are allowed on the parcel at all.