Pittsburg, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Pittsburg permits limited residential beekeeping under zoning and general nuisance provisions. While Pittsburg does not maintain an extensive standalone bee ordinance, beekeepers must comply with California Food & Agricultural Code §29040, which requires all apiaries to be registered annually with the County Agricultural Commissioner (Contra Costa County). Typical residential beekeeping standards include: setbacks of 15-25 feet from property lines and public rights-of-way, barrier (6-foot fence or hedge) between hives and neighboring property to direct flight paths upward, water source on the beekeeper's property to prevent bees from foraging in neighbor pools, hive limits scaled to lot size (commonly 2 hives under 5,000 sq ft, more on larger lots), and removal or requeening of any aggressive or Africanized colony. Bees are not livestock for zoning purposes and are treated separately. Nuisance complaints typically involve swarming, stinging incidents, or bee waste. Pittsburg's waterfront and parkland, along with backyard fruit trees, provide good forage. Beekeepers should notify immediate neighbors and post contact information. Pesticide protections under §29100-29120 protect registered apiaries from unwarned spraying.