Spencer County adopts revised nuisance ordinance after amendments; judge votes no on final motion

Spencer County Fiscal Court adopted a revised nuisance ordinance (Ordinance No. 19‑2025) on second reading Tuesday, expanding local definitions and clarifying county abatement procedures while changing notice timelines and excising specific wording after debate and amendment.

The ordinance — introduced by County Attorney and discussed at length by the court — lays out detailed definitions of ‘‘nuisance’’ categories (abandoned vehicles, discarded items, obnoxious growth), sets a 30‑day standard abatement notice and a shorter, 24‑hour emergency abatement window for immediate threats, and authorizes the county to place a lien for abatement costs on property if owners do not comply. The court voted to amend several portions during second reading, including replacing a three‑day window reference with a 14‑day clarification on one procedural line and removing the words “vermin, rodents & insects” from a specific clause after members said the phrase created unintended scope concerns.

Esq. Stump moved to adopt the ordinance; Esq. Eldridge seconded. After a sequence of amendments and recorded votes the adoption motion passed with five voting “aye” and one “nay” — Judge Scott Travis was the lone dissenting vote. The court formally recorded that the ordinance repeals any inconsistent prior local ordinances and codifies local authority to abate nuisances under KRS 67.083. The adopted ordinance includes criminal and civil penalty provisions, a process for written notice and appeal to the fiscal court, and a requirement that abatement costs may be recorded as a lien and potentially foreclosed if unpaid.

Why it matters: the ordinance creates clearer, enforceable local tools for the county to address accumulations of debris, dilapidated structures, and overgrown vegetation that the county says have depressed nearby property values or presented public‑health concerns. It also places express limits on exemptions (farms) and adds a decommissioning process for the most persistent cases, along with timelines for homeowner notification and county abatement actions.

Opposition and concerns: Judge Scott Travis raised procedural objections and voted against final adoption; other members sought to narrow language and extend or shorten some abatement timelines. The minutes record multiple amendments adopted on the floor to clarify enforcement thresholds and notice periods.

Next steps: The ordinance was enacted on second reading at the April 21 meeting. The county clerk will enter the ordinance into the official record, and the county attorney and code enforcement office will begin implementing the new notice and abatement procedures described in the text.