(A) Sanitation. All exterior property and premises shall be maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary condition. The occupant shall keep that part of the exterior property that the occupant occupies or controls in a clean and sanitary condition.
(B) Grading and drainage. All newly constructed premises shall be graded and maintained to prevent the erosion of soil, and to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water thereon, or within any structure located thereon. Exception: Approved detention/retention areas, basins and reservoirs.
(1) Removal of vegetation; replacement. Any person removing vegetation from any real estate in the city shall reseed, re-sod or re-vegetate the same within one (1) month from the date of removal, unless a building/construction permit or erosion prevention and sediment control permit is received from the appropriate city department. Exception: Customary use of real estate for agricultural and/or horticultural use.
(2) Drainage way maintenance. The owner of the premises shall maintain all drainage ways on the premises. This includes mowing and trimming of the drainage way and keeping it free from all obstructions. Obstructions shall include, but is not limited to, grass clippings, tree limbs or rubbish of any kind that alters, restricts or prohibits the drainage way from functioning in a proper manner.
(C) Sidewalks, public ways and driveways. All sidewalks, walkways, stairs, driveways, parking spaces, public ways and similar areas shall be kept in a proper state of repair and maintained free from hazardous conditions, including, but not limited to, periodically renewing, repaving or otherwise maintaining a smooth surface. The accumulation of snow and ice shall be considered a hazardous condition, and should be removed in a timely manner as prescribed by other city ordinances. It shall be the duty of all persons owning or occupying premises abutting a public street or alley within the city to remove as soon as practicable all refuse, weeds, trash or waste from the sidewalks, curbing, and to the center line of such streets or alleys as are adjacent to or about the property.
(1) Shared responsibility. Both an owner and tenant must abide by this section and either may be proceeded against for the violation thereof.
(2) Obstructions. The owner or occupant shall keep all sidewalks, streets, alleys, driveways, public highways, public ways or railroad crossing clear and free of all obstructions. This shall include the placing, planting or locating of any planted material or changing the grade of the land that obstructs the view of oncoming traffic.
(D) Weeds and grass.
(1) All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from grass, weeds or plant growth in excess of ten (10) inches in height. This includes maintaining to the pavement or to the curb edge of any street, alley or roadway. All noxious weeds shall be prohibited. WEEDS shall be defined as all grasses, annual plants and vegetation, other than trees or shrubs; provided, however, this term shall not include cultivated flowers, ornamental grasses and gardens.
(2) Exceptions.
(a) Grass, weeds and plant growth on a premises that is in excess of two (2) acres and does not contain a dwelling unit shall be maintained to a height not to exceed thirty-six (36) inches;
(b) A premises used for agricultural purposes shall be maintained to a height commensurate with customary practice for agricultural uses;
(c) A premises that is predominantly woodlands and trees, which dominates the land, with no crop or agricultural use made on the premises.
(E) Rodent harborage. All structures and exterior property shall be kept free from rodent harborage and infestation. Where rodents are found, they shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes that will not be injurious to human health. After pest elimination, proper precautions shall be taken to eliminate rodent harborage and prevent infestation.
(F) Accessory structures. All accessory structures, including detached garages, sheds, gazebos, decks, fences and walls, shall be maintained structurally sound and in good repair.
(G) Inoperable vehicles.
(1) No vehicle shall be parked on any residentially zoned property or premises in the city, which can be viewed from a public highway or street or from an adjoining property, and remains for a period of one week in the same relative location, and which:
(a) For mechanical or other reasons cannot be moved under its own power;
(b) Cannot be operated legally upon a public highway or street;
(c) Is unreasonably unsightly;
(d) Is not currently registered; or
(e) Is an inoperable vehicle as defined in this code.
(2) No mobile or manufactured home, as defined in KRS 227.550, that is junked, wrecked or inoperative, and uninhabited shall be kept on any premises.
(3) Exceptions.
(a) A vehicle of any type is permitted to undergo major overhaul, including body work, provided that the work is performed inside a structure or similarly enclosed area designed and approved for such purposes.
(b) A vehicle stored at the premises of a legally approved vehicle repair or salvage operation in compliance with applicable zoning ordinance standards and in possession of a current city business license.
(c) Junked, wrecked or inoperative automobiles, vehicles, machines, or other similar scrap or salvage materials located on the business premises of a:
1. Licensed automotive recycling dealer as described in KRS 190.010(8);
2. Used motor vehicle dealer as defined in KRS 190.010(6); or
3. Motor vehicle auction dealer as defined in KRS 190.010(11);
(d) Junked, wrecked, or inoperative motor vehicles, including parts cars, stored on private premises by automobile collectors, whether as a hobby or a profession, if they are stored out of ordinary public view by means of suitable fencing, trees, shrubbery or other means;
(e) Any motor vehicle, as defined in KRS 281.010, that is owned, controlled, operated, managed or leased by a motor carrier;
(f) Material deposited under a permit authorized by any ordinance of the city, or goods, wares or merchandise deposited on any public way or any public place temporarily in the necessary course of trade and removed therefor within two (2) hours after being so deposited.
(H) Parking in a yard. The parking, locating or storing of a motorized or non-motorized vehicle shall be allowed in a yard; provided that no mud is tracked onto the roadway, and no ruts are created in the yard.
(I) Defacement of property. No person shall willfully or wantonly damage, mutilate or deface any exterior surface of any structure or building on any private or public property by placing thereon any marking, carving or graffiti. It shall be the responsibility of the owner to restore the surface to an approved state of maintenance and repair.
(J) (1) Animals, fowl or reptiles. Regulation of animals may be found in Chapter 90.
(2) Slaughtering. It shall be prohibited to conduct or maintain any slaughter house or other premises or area for the slaughtering of animals, fowl or reptiles, or to render the byproducts of the same.
(K) Fire hydrant. The owner shall maintain the area around and adjacent to any fire hydrants on the premises and keep the area unobstructed for a minimum of three (3) feet from the hydrant.
(L) Diseased or dead tree. It shall be the responsibility of the owner to remove any diseased or dead tree, or portion thereof, that poses a hazard to life or property; or that harbors insects that have caused its decay and causes the tree to pose a hazard to life or property. It shall also be a violation of this code to allow broken or diseased branches on a diseased or healthy tree to impede an adjoining property owner’s use of his or her property, or to pose a risk of damage to another’s property.
(M) Dangerous signs. There shall be no keeping of abandoned or dangerous signs.
(N) Rubbish and debris. Accumulation of rubbish, trash, waste, debris or abandoned appliances is prohibited.
(O) Abandoned appliances. The keeping, placing or storing outside of any building or dwelling or the keeping, placing or storage in any way accessible to children of an abandoned, unattended or discarded icebox, ice chest or refrigerator is prohibited.
(P) Depositing or scattering of ashes and other materials. To cast, throw, sweep, sift, or to permit or acquiesce in the depositing or scattering in any manner in or on any private property or place in the city, any ashes, rubbish, garbage, trash, refuse or waste of any kind, or other noxious materials, whether liquid or solid, shall be prohibited. Nor shall such items be deposited in such a way that would allow them to be carried or deposited, in whole or in part, by action of the sun, wind, rain or snow so as to be scattered on any of the aforementioned places.
(Ord. 2019-01, passed 7-15-19)