Beekeeping n Pleasanton

[Michael R Gagnon]

Good evening,

I am new to the group and a new beekeeper. I live in Pleasanton and I have followed the zoning and the set up the hive 10 feet away from property lines and provided a water source and flyway 6 feet in height in front of entrance. 

My neighbor has noticed bees in his pool and has told me that he wants me to remove my hive. I did not know about the permit process until he brought it to my attention. 

What would you suggest I do?

Thanks,

Mike

[J]

That’s going to be a tough one.  As part of the permitting process, they will send out notices to all neighbors who are 100ft from the edge of the property.

I did this process a few years ago.  They indicated no one had really gone through the process since its inception in the early 2010s.  Matt Gruber is the one that does the inspections for the city.  He’s a beekeeper too.  I’d suggest maybe trying to contact the city and asking him for advice.

Thanks

Jay

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On May 1, 2026, at 10:47 PM, Michael R Gagnon <drga...@valleyeyecarecenter.com> wrote:

Good evening,

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[Robert L Mathews]

For reference, here is the full Pleasanton law:

  https://ecode360.com/43035708

It's pretty restrictive. But as Jay said, Pleasanton officials report that pretty much nobody ever files for a permit, despite there being many beekeepers in the city, and people have been anecdotally told "it doesn't really matter" by city workers.

However, if your neighbor is insisting on it, everyone will probably roll their eyes and go through the whole process, so you probably don't have much choice. And while a public hearing isn't the default, your neighbor could request one.

That said, I've also not heard of anyone being denied a permit if they follow the rules, and there's nothing in there that says your neighbors can simply object to it, as long as you're not causing a specific nuisance, defined as "Bees or hives shall be considered a public nuisance when the beekeeper's bees swarm, the bees abscond, or the beekeeping does not conform to this code, or hives are abandoned by the beekeeper".

As Jay said, contacting a friendly person working for the city is probably the best next step.

If it gets to the point of a public hearing, you should post that here: I think you'll find many people willing to come and support you in public.

On May 1, 2026, at 10:47 PM, Michael R Gagnon <drga...@valleyeyecarecenter.com> wrote:

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Robert L Mathews

[Michael R Gagnon]

Thank you for all of your help and the suggestions. I will reach out to the city.

Best,

Mike

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-alameda-county-beekeepers-association/EE2C7B52-A4BA-4092-ADD6-C18A136DEA4A%40tigertech.com.

[Bees & Beeks]

I’m not certain because the people I know who do beekeep in Pleasanton do so without actually getting Beekeeping Permit, including city employees.  

Mimi 

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On May 1, 2026, at 10:47 PM, Michael R Gagnon <drga...@valleyeyecarecenter.com> wrote:

Good evening,

[J]

I checked with a friend that works for the city and she said Matt, and Sarah Hosterman would be good resources to help with the situation.  They also handle tree issues meaning neighbors don’t agree on what to do with a tree that borders property’s so they will be excellent resources within the city to help navigate the situation.

Thanks

Jay

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On May 3, 2026, at 9:07 AM, Bees & Beeks <bayare...@gmail.com> wrote:

I’m not certain because the people I know who do beekeep in Pleasanton do so without actually getting Beekeeping Permit, including city employees.  

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-alameda-county-beekeepers-association/4CBE7875-3E85-4C98-8912-0E6E938FF6BD%40gmail.com.

[real...@aol.com]

Sounds good.
California has a law in place you can cut or try hey can cut anything 90degres above the property line , however should you or them cut inside the other property and depending of the $$ damage it can go up to felony, my neighbor has the same situation , the gardener in the apartment building behind us came 4 ‘ into our back yard , the 71’ tree had to come down . 

    So I planted giant bamboos, they reach close to the same height , now we have total privacy , on their side a whole different story because bamboo’s are messy , they spend far more time cleaning up and there is nothing the gardner can say or do . As far as my bees it is a natural barrier . By the way gbere is also a law for fence you neighbor has to pay 50 % wether they like it or not .

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[real...@aol.com]

Those are Alemeda county regulations , should the tree be a California Oak they can’t Touch it that’s was $2000 fine plus paying for planting 12 more ????? , the diameter of the trunk also play a role , they will have to hire a California licensed Arborist ,no a lwn mower or chain saw handler , which then will weight in on the tree . I loved that old tree, recognizing on the long run it was more a pri lem so we paid $ 2500 to have it removed and paid $1500 worth of bamboos, no more peeping nosy neighbors . photo enclosed 

There are also some very fast bgrowi g tree that supprt heavy pruning , very inexpensive. 

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[andrew....@comcast.net]

My direct experience is that the code is only enforced when there is a complaint, but once there is a complaint, the officials do/must enforce it.  

Therefore,, you need to keep your neighbor(s) happy.... 

• Make sure you have an appropriate water sources on your own property.  
  
• Apologize for the inconvenience.  
  
• Explain why the bees are attracted to the pool. 
• Let your neighbor know that you have created local water sources for your bees, and that you are working to prevent your bees from being a nuisance.  
  
• Make sure that the neighbor can contact you easily if there is ever a problem.
  

Meanwhile, make sure you are in compliance.  If you don't want to pay for the permit and assert your right to keep bees, you have discovered that having a good relationship with your neighbor is more valuable to you than keeping bees on your property.

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