Council amends dumpster‑fence rule to allow written mayor exemptions, exempts county detention center

The Shepherdsville City Council read and discussed ordinance 025006, an amendment to city ordinance 018269 (codified in section 51.03) that clarifies when dumpsters must be enclosed and creates a written mayoral‑exemption for hardship or unforeseen circumstances.

The amendment narrows the ordinance’s application to dumpsters that "can be seen from any roadway or neighboring property, regardless of whether the dumpster is located on the property," and explicitly exempts the Bullitt County Detention Center’s dumpsters from the enclosure requirement. The read summary said: "Any exemption given by the mayor shall be in writing." The amendment also directs that mayoral exemptions be documented so future administrations have a record.

Council members described the change as a response to specific cases raised by staff and the county attorney: a detention‑center security concern and apartment complexes where truck access or multiple aligned dumpsters make a full enclosure impractical. The council discussed case‑by‑case handling, letters from Republic (the hauler) or property owners confirming infeasibility, and the city’s option to issue written exemptions rather than requiring repeated council action.

Council members and staff said the enforcement intent is aesthetic and safety‑based: to remove visible unsightly dumpster enclosures from major road corridors while allowing practical exceptions where full enclosure blocks truck access or raises safety issues. The council asked code enforcement and the mayor’s office to produce a standard written‑exemption form and to track any site‑specific exemptions in the city file so future administrations can reference them.

No final adoption vote on the amended ordinance was recorded at the meeting; staff said the updated text would be circulated to council members for a formal first reading with the written‑exemption language included.