Cattle, horses, goats and other livestock are permitted uses in the Big Island's Agricultural zoning districts under HRS 205-4.5, along with boarding stables and riding academies. Pen feeding, piggeries and apiaries must be on a site approved by the State Department of Health.
Most of Hawai'i Island is zoned Agricultural (A-1 one-acre minimum, A-20, A-40), and state law HRS 205-4.5 lists raising of livestock, riding academies, and rental or boarding stables among the permissible agricultural uses. The County Zoning Code (HCC Chapter 25) implements these categories island-wide. Intensive operations carry an added public-health control: piggeries, apiaries and pen feeding of livestock must be located on premises approved by the State Department of Health. Keeping cattle, horses or goats in a residential or resort zone where such use is not listed is a zoning violation, so lot zoning determines what livestock a property may hold.
Keeping livestock outside a permitted zone, or running a piggery or pen-feeding operation without DOH site approval, is enforced by County Planning and the Department of Health.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Hawaii County's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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