[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6498583,"mediaKeyId","5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d","parentId",5711262,"title","Commission holds first readings on zoning changes, backyard chickens, tax rates and property-maintenance rules","audioSeconds",122,"startMs",755000,"endMs",877000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d&start=755&end=877","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d/thumbnail_755000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6498583/Owensboro-City/Daviess-County/Kentucky/Commission-holds-first-readings-on-zoning-changes-backyard-chickens-tax-rates-and-property-maintenance-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498583-ca9dd77ec6456b0c93d4e50c36de6811/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150855&Signature=ZDARX9fthth1eWq22hPNLfpJfXZqh6TiZ9ekM4bljGRvKFFgyUM1DpYpAVhXVfrS599~WJr~mplHUVsrUsh7JZ5tjpp5snbonOEuiclr2kI1RPKGcpT08rSjcQFYiL4zClL9464d-pm3viwbWiWgdnhWUxp-8y3bTa-iju2mEqyM5gdo1wig5wlx4Jyj4bHtRbsAD8egdRDh-K6rHDwERD4vjpGdbj4ItrGwAZA1CiNZHvoW5D-u6zD67iE1gPw0IoWBUMjg27BEQniqW5G4zK2KrKRA6XPcqNnDRPy3iFIczav25KGN2IbF7bQXpe7XnvkyojxV-S~ZM9fccXncBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Owensboro, KY","date","2025-09-03T02:12:54.43Z","article","The Owensboro City Commission on Sept. 2 took first readings on four separate ordinances covering zoning text amendments, backyard chickens, the city’s property-tax rates and changes to the property-maintenance code. No final votes were taken because each item was introduced and publicly read as a first reading.

Zoning text amendment (Ordinance 14-2025): Planning staff presented a text amendment that would allow contractor shops such as plumbing and electrical businesses to locate in more business zones (B3 and B4) through a conditional-use-permit process. Bridal Howard, executive director of the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission, said the change came at the request of the Home Builders Association and would require neighbors be notified of permit applications. Howard cited KRS Chapter 100 as the statutory basis for conditional-use permitting under Kentucky law.

Backyard chickens (Ordinance 15-2025): City staff described an ordinance to permit up to six female chickens in single-family backyards, with no roosters allowed. Proposed rules would limit chickens to single-family lots, require secure, predator-proof coops with at least 3 square feet per bird, locate coops at least 10 feet from property lines and 40 feet from neighboring houses or businesses, require rodent-proof feed storage and impose a $25 permit that could be revoked for violations. Staff said deed restrictions or HOA covenants that prohibit chickens would remain in effect.

Property tax rates (Ordinance 16-2025): City staff read an ordinance setting ad valorem rates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. The proposed rates were 25.6 cents per $100 assessed valuation for real property (down from 26.1 cents last year), 30.91 cents per $100 for personal property and 30.3 cents per $100 for vehicles. Staff said the proposed real-property rate represents a 1.92% decrease from the prior year and noted that property assessments are set by an independent elected official.

Property-maintenance code (Ordinance 17-2025): The first reading included two substantive changes: establishing mowing requirements for undeveloped parcels of two acres or more (a minimum of three mowings during the mowing season) and adding a standard to address incomplete construction projects. Under the proposal, work that stops for 120 days on residential projects or 180 days on commercial projects could be designated incomplete and subject to citations under the property-maintenance process.

All four items were introduced and read publicly; the commission will consider final votes at a subsequent meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Owensboro Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting - September 2, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At first reading the Owensboro City Commission considered a zoning text amendment to allow contractor shops in B3/B4 zones via conditional use permits, an ordinance to allow backyard chickens with restrictions, new property tax rates for 2025-26 and property-maintenance changes including mowing standards and rules for incomplete construction.","taxTitle","Owensboro City, Daviess County, Kentucky","taxId",5709,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498589,"Downtown residents and property owners urge action after repeated safety complaints at Owensboro parking garage",99,540000,639000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d&start=540&end=639","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d/thumbnail_540000.jpg","/articles/6498589/Owensboro-City/Daviess-County/Kentucky/Downtown-residents-and-property-owners-urge-action-after-repeated-safety-complaints-at-Owensboro-parking-garage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498589-5b62816e677ac7ab33fb8889c8eab520/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150855&Signature=nHaEC5E8V7uazckAIDFKTOn5omoga7iC~VA17YfHN3w68WM6lEMomwAMOkA3LHFVe~1xR3KPvFeL-qKmY5HfgKxCB1O1AYlG2G58JuCSNwzMhDKGxDs~7JpR3mUMtDeKyTh8~SCuOPKJlpKnC8~sk9Opos1-GHNWQndNeCrSlBT9f2rBuoxPxERpb~8k-g~wPMCfW4OB6NLNuQcCrlVgjDJ8FUdm7iJtyanX3f90HnG9fRJsfOP6ww2SFbfSzAKUG-1JNKbOQxVHWqzHXnH11pDCuLztOF6pDvS5SztHJBOFN3svnHemibJ8Kqv5pB6F-zc0UiDCxTiS38fWmEFqgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several downtown residents and property owners raised safety concerns about the city-owned downtown parking garage during the Owensboro City Commission’s Sept. 2 public comment period, asking for more police presence and repairs to cameras and the elevator.

\"I've sat on the roof and watched this stuff go on for hours, and I never see a police officer,\" resident Steve Norton told the commission. He said people race inside the garage late into the night, hang off sides of the structure, drop bottles, use stairwells to gather and sometimes skateboard in traffic lanes. \"We're gonna have to do something or somebody's gonna get killed in that garage,\" Norton said.

Property owner Phil Clark, who said he bought his downtown building in 2005, told the commission the alley that connects to Smothers Park has accumulated trash and a pattern of unsafe activity. \"It does need to be addressed... We are part of the community. I'm happy to help. We all are. But we need — we can't do it on our own,\" Clark said.

Laura Clark, who previously lived downtown, said she and her husband regularly called police and that cameras in the garage are too old to provide clear images. \"When you're living there, any drug deal feels like a big drug deal when you're watching it from your backdoor,\" she said, and added that she felt safer parking on the street than in the garage.

Speakers asked the commission to increase enforcement and fix equipment; several also suggested the city address trash pickup and camera reliability. City staff and the police chief were present in the meeting but made no immediate operational commitments during public comment. The mayor closed the public-comment segment after the three speakers and continued with the agenda.","Residents and building owners told the Owensboro City Commission during public comment that racing, drug activity, nonworking cameras and an elevator outage have created a safety hazard at the downtown parking garage and alleyways leading to Smothers Park.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498594,"Commission enacts temporary moratorium on certain group housing categories",45,513000,558000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d&start=513&end=558","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d/thumbnail_513000.jpg","/articles/6498594/Owensboro-City/Daviess-County/Kentucky/Commission-enacts-temporary-moratorium-on-certain-group-housing-categories","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498594-000def5051472919833a5c799fd70f5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150855&Signature=C0QJB04h22CJ1T3ZbkufXR33jxRKszJBJX~yRtC6FuWbKPFWcVPjWALG-SRJD8mZgCgJi1qacNO9Zg1QPyFYAGIvbglVB3QnpHuTgLz3xLuMuCNYhszlBt8~Wtw2vI3droORZcRQwl34-t-zzjpwpPLzZ5GXlBJzrNUBdRg~J0d8WBmuBNIKFnefY1GfJAz~mQXNfp~V6vdkPEYIp0-S~~8k5V8RWNLf0HH3B2OmuxugyPW9XIs78ywHFZOjjFVNrJW9iCyARlpOUzR2TamLBW-iD728uwy5pj-ZRYYZgXXy2CrFA~n4HShMqH1z5H3R1vCiYbvTwb0dhH4oXm7czA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Owensboro City Commission unanimously approved Ordinance 13-2025 on Sept. 2, imposing a temporary moratorium on certain categories of group housing and facilities within city limits.

The measure was read for approval on second reading. City staff and the city attorney had briefed commissioners at the prior meeting, and the city manager told the commission there was no additional information to add at the second-reading vote. The city manager said either the city attorney or the manager could answer questions if commissioners had any.

The vote was taken by roll call and carried with Commissioner Sharon Nesmith, Mayor Thomas Hart Watson, Commissioner Curtis Maglanger, Mayor Pro Tem Bob Glenn and Commissioner Jeff Sanford each voting yes.

The ordinance text publicly read at the meeting described only that it imposes a temporary moratorium on certain categories of group housing and facilities; the transcript did not record further specifics about which categories are covered or the moratorium’s duration. City staff said the city attorney had provided a briefing at the previous meeting; no additional details were given at second reading.","On second reading the Owensboro City Commission approved Ordinance 13-2025, imposing a temporary moratorium on certain categories of group housing and facilities; the ordinance passed unanimously and city attorney had briefed commissioners at an earlier meeting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498599,"Owensboro commission approves budget amendment to buy Massey property, add pickleball donation to project budget",124,410000,534000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d&start=410&end=534","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5711262-7742a8128e49acb96beae2279a4c6f9d/thumbnail_410000.jpg","/articles/6498599/Owensboro-City/Daviess-County/Kentucky/Owensboro-commission-approves-budget-amendment-to-buy-Massey-property-add-pickleball-donation-to-project-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498599-adf8164bf4ed4c02e9823f1d68bed1ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150855&Signature=oCw4Kms~PO5XUcThINYhYzc6DO68305GFPzFqTo-O6oAiqXlOevCinb9TPad~6H4-yG9hQ5IETZmESs5cE9yv2Oq9B35qILFYVKDYZxGqC1LXisCOClN5zbYxX260my08TfHkRaYQKo~cJWpIR9WcEwKmkZ7U-5ew1lizyPKO2oNrB-ciIlXUlg868LkVVikhIG7ggIht2A~j3BBz3mlYLO3Q02Ssq6dqx0TwPicTFmrGXVeSb3N2rs-2U5hC2EFY5OQO0cBqxzyPN8CJ3EJT9V2LtVerv8OuLfJJAwVD1kVaRowOH1nLVCFD2GCURvWSzVebICjCYv~y7WCNoTF2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Owensboro City Commission on Sept. 2 approved Ordinance 12-2025, a second-reading budget amendment that authorizes the city to purchase the Massey property using the economic development fund and to add a $500,000 donation from River City Pickleball to the project budget.

City Manager (name not specified) told commissioners the amendment has two primary components: the purchase of the Massey property, for which the city has reserved funds in the economic development fund, and recording the River City Pickleball Club donation so the city can match upcoming construction expenses. \"Our agreement with the club requires them to provide $500,000 toward the project,\" the city manager said. The manager also said the Massey acquisition will have no impact on the general fund.

Mayor Thomas Hart Watson moved to approve the ordinance and the motion was seconded. The commission voted by roll call: Commissioner Jeff Sanford, Commissioner Sharon Nesmith, Commissioner Curtis Maglanger, Mayor Pro Tem Bob Glenn and Mayor Watson each voted yes; the ordinance passed.

Commissioners were told the budget change will allow the city to record revenue and begin incurring offsetting expenses when construction on the Bent Halls project begins later this year. The city manager said the funds for the Massey purchase were previously saved for an industrial-park property and are available in the economic development fund.

No amendments or dissent were recorded during the second-reading vote. The ordinance also amends Ordinance 6-2025 to receive and appropriate the donation and to authorize the land purchase as described in the amendment.","On second reading the Owensboro City Commission approved Ordinance 12-2025 to appropriate funds for purchase of the Massey property from the economic development fund and to record a $500,000 donation from River City Pickleball toward the Bent Halls project.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission holds first readings on zoning changes, backyard chickens, tax rates and property-maintenance rules

Downtown residents and property owners urge action after repeated safety complaints at Owensboro parking garage

Commission enacts temporary moratorium on certain group housing categories

Owensboro commission approves budget amendment to buy Massey property, add pickleball donation to project budget