Beekeeping, gardens and goats: How Olympia is supporting urban agriculture

There are only 450 acres of active and potential farmland in Olympia, including in its Urban Growth Area, according to the Thurston Conservation District. City officials have been looking for ways to expand accessible working farmland, while recognizing the need for more housing.

The Olympia Planning Commission held a public hearing on Monday on code amendments that would allow urban agriculture in more zoning districts.

Associate Planner Casey Schaufler said no one from the public provided comment during the hearing, nor did the city receive any written comments. However, the commission made a number of revisions to the recommended code amendments before voting unanimously to forward them to the Land Use and Environment Committee, then the City Council for final vote.

The code amendments would expand urban agriculture allowances as a primary or accessory use to all residential zoning districts in the city. All commercial zoning districts except for auto services and industrial zones would also allow for agriculture.

Agriculture includes community gardens managed and maintained by a group of individuals or a public or nonprofit organization. Also allowed would be rooftop gardens, vertical agriculture on exterior walls of buildings, and hydroponics or other indoor growing methods that are small scale.

Rules on ducks and chickens

The public hearing draft for amendments include several permissible agricultural uses.

Lots that are one-quarter acre and smaller are allowed up to five ducks or female chickens, according to city documents. Lots between one-quarter acre and one acre are allowed up to nine ducks or female chickens.

Lots one acre and larger are allowed up to 10 ducks or female chickens plus one additional duck or female chicken for every additional 1,000 square feet of lot area up to two acres. The birds have to be confined within a suitably fenced area large enough for appropriate exercise.

Roosters, geese, peacocks and other similar loud fowl are not allowed.

Rules on goats, rabbits, quail and turkey

Rabbits, quail, miniature goats and turkeys are allowed in addition to the ducks and chickens. Lots one-quarter acre and smaller are allowed up to five rabbits. Lots between one-quarter acre and one acre are allowed one additional rabbit for every additional 1,000 square feet of lot area beyond one-quarter acre, up to 10 rabbits. Lots one acre and larger are allowed 10 rabbits plus one additional rabbit for every additional 1,000 square feet of lot area beyond one acre.

Lots one-quarter acre and smaller are allowed up to five female quail. Lots between one-quarter acre and one acre are allowed one additional female quail for every additional 1,000 square feet of lot area beyond one-quarter acre. Lots one acre and larger are allowed 10 female quail plus one additional female quail for every additional 1,000 square feet of lot area beyond one acre.

Lots between 5,000 square feet and one acre in size are allowed up to two miniature goats. Lots one acre and larger are allowed one additional miniature goat for every additional 1,000 square feet of lot area beyond one acre, up to six miniature goats.

Up to four turkeys are allowed on lots larger than one acre in size.

Rules for bees

Beekeeping is allowed outright as an agricultural use, when registered with the State Department of Agriculture. According to city documents, beekeeping can include honey bees, mason bees, cutter bees, cavity nesting bees or similar bees used for honey or pollination.

A maximum of four hives, each with only one swarm, are allowed on lots of less than 10,000 square feet. The Planning Commission revised the amendments to now allow hives within 25 feet of any lot line, up from 10 feet. They’re also not allowed in setback areas.

According to the revision, the 25-foot distance can be reduced to 10 feet if “strategies are employed to require bees to gain elevation before crossing the property line.”

Schaufler said the commission revised the amendment to include more specific language on bees to mean adult insects, eggs, larvae, pupae or other immature stages of the species Apis mellifera.

Rules on animal enclosures

Agricultural animal enclosures, both temporary and permanent, have to be no less than 10 feet from all property lines and are not permitted in setback areas.

Suitable sanitary enclosures such as coops, barns and hives will be required and must be designed to protect animals on all sides from weather and predators and to prevent rodents.

All animals would also have to be confined within a suitably fenced area large enough for appropriate exercise.

Lastly, in the event the city has determined the agricultural uses cause a detrimental impact to water quality, a farm conservation plan may need to be developed.

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