St. Peters, MO Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Section 205.040 of the St. Peters Municipal Code, in the Animal Regulations chapter, and the nearly identical Section 405.280(D) of the Zoning Code both set the same four conditions for keeping honeybees in a residential district. The lot must be at least 10,000 square feet before bees are allowed at all. No more than three hives may be kept regardless of lot size beyond that minimum. The hives themselves must be positioned so they aren't visible where possible, screened behind a sight-proof fence six feet in height, the same height cap the City uses for general residential fencing under Section 405.360.

A fresh water supply has to sit within five feet of the hive so bees don't range onto a neighbor's pool or birdbath looking for water. Every apiary, whether one hive or several, must be set back at least 20 feet from the property line or public right-of-way, and the hive opening has to face the most distant property line, directing bee traffic away from adjoining yards rather than toward them. Because the standard is duplicated in both the Animal Regulations chapter and the Zoning Code, a beekeeper in St. Peters is subject to enforcement under either provision if the hive count, setback, fencing, or water requirement isn't met.