Right to Farm in Hawaii County, HI (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Hawaii County, Hawaii.
Verified from official government sources
Farm Nuisance Protection
Hawai'i County's only local right-to-farm provision is narrow: HCC § 4-5-1 states the council's intent that HRS chapter 165, the state right-to-farm act, applies to apiaries and to people producing apiary products. There is no broader county-level right-to-farm ordinance covering other agriculture.
Right-to-Farm Protection for Big Island Apiaries
Light RestrictionsHawai'i County Code § 4-5-1
The council recognizes the critical role bees play in agriculture, pollinating food crops and furnishing useful agricultural products, such as honey, wax, and queen bees. The purpose of this article is to safeguard and promote this agricultural activity by identifying generally accepted apiary management practices for beekeeping. ... Further, through this article, it is the council's intention ...
Agricultural Zoning Protection
Hawaii County protects farming through zoning, not a standalone right-to-farm ordinance: Chapter 25 sets aside RA, FA, A and IA agricultural districts under Hawaii County Code §§ 25-5-50 and 25-5-70, where crop production, livestock, aquaculture and agricultural processing are permitted uses by right on land shielded from denser development.
Agricultural Zoning Districts on the Big Island
Light RestrictionsHawaii County Code §§ 25-5-50, 25-5-70
The RA (residential and agricultural) district provides for activities or uses characterized by low density residential lots in rural areas where "city-like" concentrations of people, structures, streets, and urban level of services are absent, and where small farms are intermixed with low density residential lots. ... The A (agricultural) district provides for agricultural and very low density...
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