Nicholasville, KY Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Section 19-60 is the only camping provision in the code sections reviewed for Nicholasville, and it covers parks only. It makes it unlawful to camp overnight in a park without the written permission of the director or the Nicholasville-Jessamine County parks board, and it confines any authorized camping to areas designated by the director. The permission must be written. Ord. No. 103-2023, adopted 2-27-23, enacted the whole of Article IV, Park Rules and Regulations.

The rule works together with the park closing rule in § 19-54, which makes it unlawful to be on park property without permission after the park has closed, with open hours as posted at each park. A person camping overnight without written permission is therefore outside both provisions. Other park rules bear on conditions at a campsite. Section 19-55 allows open fires only in areas designated as proper and safe for them. Section 19-59 makes it unlawful to dispose of litter in the park except in the trash containers provided. Section 19-61 makes it unlawful to cut or remove any trees, flowers or vegetation within the parks, except when required for public safety or maintenance and then only by parks department personnel or agents and contractors of the parks department and utility companies.

The park article does not print a notice period, storage rule or cleanup protocol for removing a camp. The nearest city power is § 19-13(b), which lets the city remove items in violation of sections 19-1 through 19-13 from city streets, sidewalks, public ways, drainage areas and other public property immediately and without notice to the property owner. Section 19-13(a) lists furniture, rubbish, garbage and abandoned property among the items barred from public property.