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