After Bill 144 (2024), Hawai'i County allows beekeeping in every zoning district island-wide. Apiaries must sit at least 25 feet from any property line (15 feet behind a flyway barrier), and lots under 20,000 sq ft are limited to about 15 standard hives.
Hawai'i County Bill 144 (2024) amended the Zoning Code (HCC Chapter 25) to permit honeybee colonies in all zoning districts across the island, including residential, commercial, resort and industrial, where beekeeping had previously been confined mainly to agricultural and residential zones. The ordinance sets a 25-foot setback of apiaries from any property line, reduced to 15 feet where a solid flyway (flyover) barrier redirects bee flight upward. On lots smaller than 20,000 square feet the number of standard hives is capped at about 15, with the Planning Director able to grant exemptions for larger apiaries.
Keeping hives without meeting the setback, barrier or hive-count standards is a Chapter 25 zoning violation subject to County Planning enforcement and abatement.
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