Raleigh, NC Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

6, Open Uses/Agriculture. The section states flatly that "raising of animals is not permitted in a Residential District," which covers Raleigh's R-1 through R-X zones, so a community garden sited on a residential-district lot cannot keep bees at all, no matter how few hives. In the districts where a community garden is allowed to raise animals, non-residential zones such as Mixed Use and Special Districts, the standards cap beekeeping at a maximum of 2 bee hives per garden, and require any coop, hutch, hive or other animal-housing structure to sit at least 25 feet from every property line.

The provision only reaches this specific "Community Garden" zoning use, a shared plot managed by a group for growing food or ornamental crops, and doesn't create a separate citywide permit or ban for a single homeowner keeping a hobby hive in a private backyard, which the UDO does not address as its own use. A community garden must also stay in active use for growing and harvesting crops to keep its animal-raising allowance, and hoofed animals are barred outright in every district regardless of the beekeeping standards.