It is the intent of this Article 23.000 to provide standards for Urban Agriculture that will improve residents' access to healthy, locally-produced food and other agricultural products, allow additional opportunities for economic development and social service, promote sustainability and ecological stewardship, advance public knowledge of agricultural practices, maintain public health and safety, and mitigate potential conflicts between agricultural and other urban land uses.

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2023-9, adopted Nov. 20, 2023, repealed 23.20, which pertained to urban agriculture definitions and derived from the original Zoning Ordinance.

23.31

Activities controlled by this Article shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, including those related to water use and discharge.

23.32

Activities controlled by this Article shall be conducted in accordance with all City of Cambridge Ordinances, including the Noise Control Ordinance (Cambridge Municipal Ordinance 8.16.010).

23.33

Activities controlled by this Article shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable regulations of the Cambridge Public Health Department.

23.41

General Standards.

a.

Beekeeping is allowed as an accessory use pursuant to Article 4.000 of this Zoning Ordinance, according to the standards herein.

b.

A permit must be obtained from the Cambridge Public Health Department for all keeping of bee colonies, and permit-holders must be in compliance with all local public health regulations and state public health laws pertaining to beekeeping.

23.42

Beehive and Apiary Size.

a.

A free-standing beehive shall be no greater than twenty (20) cubic feet in volume. A beehive that is attached to or contained within a building may be greater in volume, provided that no portion of the beehive greater than twenty (20) feet in volume may project beyond the principal wall plane of the building.

b.

The maximum height of a beehive or apiary shall be six (6) feet from grade, or from an elevated surface if located atop such a surface. This height limitation shall not apply to fences or other structures intended to separate a beehive or apiary from adjacent uses, which shall remain subject to other applicable provisions of this Zoning Ordinance.

23.43

Warning Signage.

a.

Where any beehive is located within ten (10) feet of a public street, park, school grounds, walkway, or bikeway, a sign legible from the public way indicating that a beehive is present nearby shall be maintained so that it is readable from the public way.

b.

Where any beehive is located on a shared porch, balcony, or rooftop, a sign indicating that a beehive is present shall be located at the entrance to such area.

23.51

General Standards for Henkeeping.

a.

Henkeeping is allowed as an accessory use pursuant to Article 4.000 of this Zoning Ordinance, according to the standards herein.

b.

A permit must be obtained from the Cambridge Public Health Department for all keeping of hens, and permit-holders must be in compliance with all local public health regulations and state public health laws in order to keep hens.

c.

Only female chickens (i.e., hens) may be kept. No male chickens (i.e., roosters) are allowed.

d.

Care and disposal of hens must be in accordance with all local public health regulations and state public health laws.

23.52

Number of Hens. No more than six (6) hens may be housed on a lot unless a permit issued by the Cambridge Public Health Department explicitly authorizes a greater number, but in no case shall more than twelve (12) hens be permitted.

23.53

Enclosures.

a.

Hens must be kept within an enclosure consisting of a henhouse and a hen run.

b.

All hen enclosures shall be located at least five (5) feet from a property line, or may be closer to the property line if there is a solid wall, fence, or similar opaque barrier visually screening the enclosure from an abutting property.

c.

A hen enclosure shall not be located in a front yard.

d.

Freestanding henhouses shall not be more than eight (8) feet in height above the mean grade of the ground adjoining the henhouse and shall cover no more than fifty (50) square feet of lot area.

e.

Freestanding henhouses shall be designed, constructed, and managed in accordance with any additional design standards required by the Cambridge Public Health Department.

f.

A hen enclosure shall be built in conformance with all other applicable building, health, and safety laws, rules, and regulations.

(Ord. No. 2023-9, 11-20-2023)