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County adopts ordinance allowing removal of dilapidated newspaper vending machines
Summary
The commission adopted Ordinance 2025-1, giving county staff authority to remove abandoned or unsafe newspaper vending machines from county right-of-way; the vote was unanimous on a roll call.
The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners approved Ordinance 2025-1 on Jan. 14, allowing the county to remove dilapidated or abandoned newspaper vending machines from county right-of-way.
Planning and county staff said vending boxes from defunct publications have become litter and long-term maintenance problems. The proposed ordinance was described as a narrow regulation aimed at machines left in rights-of-way that are not maintained and that fall outside existing junk-and-trash removal statutes.
Commissioner Lako made the motion to adopt the ordinance and Commissioner Campbell seconded. The board conducted a roll-call vote and the ordinance passed 5-0 (Commissioners Ansler, Alaco, Campbell, Champion and Chairman Hawkins recorded “Aye”), thereby authorizing county code enforcement and public works to remove units that meet the ordinance’s conditions.
Why it matters: Staff said the change fills a legal gap so the county can clear abandoned stands that are broken, filled with trash or hazardous and that pose visual blight in rights-of-way.
What’s next: County staff will publish guidance on the new removal process and work with property owners and publishers before removing units.
