Springdale, AR Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Springdale regulates apiaries through two overlapping frameworks. The Springdale Zoning Code at Chapter 130 (https://library.municode.com/ar/springdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH130ZOOR) treats beekeeping as an agricultural use most clearly compatible with the A-1 (Agricultural) district; Chapter 14 (Animals) general nuisance provisions apply where hive placement, swarming, or stinging activity creates a public nuisance. Springdale does not publish a quantitative residential hive cap, setback, or flyway-barrier rule of its own, so prudent beekeepers in non-A-1 zones typically follow the model practices recommended by the Northwest Arkansas Beekeepers Association at https://www.nwabeekeepers.com: keep hives behind a six-foot solid fence or vegetative screen near property lines, maintain a clean year-round water source, and locate hives at least 25 feet from neighboring active-use areas. The Arkansas Bee Law at Arkansas Code Annotated Sections 2-22-101 through 2-22-112 (https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-2/subtitle-2/chapter-22/) requires beekeepers to register their apiary locations with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Apiary Program at https://agriculture.arkansas.gov/crops-industry/regulatory-services/apiary/ and prohibits establishing a new apiary within three miles of an established registered apiary without the prior beekeeper's knowledge and consent, unless on the new beekeeper's own land. Registration is free and supports disease tracking, pesticide-drift notifications, and the State Apiarist's inspection program. Confirm any new hive placement with Springdale Planning before installation.