Boone County, KY Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- dangerous, unsanitary or fire-hazard structure
- Notice period
- 7 days to act, § 150.62
- Hearing Board
- 3 members, § 150.63
- Placard
- "CONDEMNED" posting, § 150.64
- Enforcement
- citation plus county lien, § 150.65
- Adopted
- Ord. 2022-25, passed 10-25-22
Summary
Boone County, Kentucky's Code Official can declare a structure unsafe or unfit for human habitation under § 150.61 when it is dangerous, unsanitary, or a fire hazard, then must issue a notice of violation, hold a hearing, and can order condemnation, placarding or demolition under §§ 150.62 through 150.65.
For the purposes of this section, a structure is unsafe or unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use when: (1) It is damaged, decayed, unstable, dilapidated, unsecured, has the presence of a hazard the creates an unreasonably dangerous condition, or is structurally deficient to the point that it is dangerous to the safety, health and well-being of the occupants of the structure, the general public or adjacent structures; or (2) Structure lacks operational sanitary systems; facilities; or (3) Structure is fire hazard such that the structure could easily catch fire or case a fire that endangers the safety, health and welfare of the occupants, general public or adjacent structures.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance 2025-20, passed 6-17-25; and State legislation current through KRS 2025).
Full Breakdown
61(B) defines a structure as unsafe or unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use when it is damaged, decayed, unstable, dilapidated, unsecured, or otherwise structurally deficient to a dangerous degree, when it lacks operational sanitary systems, or when it is a fire hazard, a determination made in consultation with the fire marshal. 62 requires a written notice of violation giving the owner seven days to complete corrective action, arrange demolition, contest the notice and request a hearing, or propose an alternate remedy or timeline. 63 sends contested cases to a three-member Hearing Board, chaired by a County Administrator-appointed Hearing Officer joined by one member drawn from the Building Code Appeals Board and one from the Parking and 911 Dwelling Unit Appeals Board, which decides by a preponderance of sworn evidence whether the structure is unsafe and whether it must be corrected, secured, or demolished.
64 requires posting a placard reading that the structure is unsafe and its use for habitation is prohibited and unlawful. 65 gives the owner another seven days to comply with the Board's order before the Code Official issues a citation, with each day a separate offense; after 30 days without compliance or a timely District Court appeal, the county may perform or contract the repair or demolition itself, place a lien on the property for all fines, fees and costs, and sell any salvage materials from a demolition it carries out. This process was adopted under Ordinance 2022-25 on October 25, 2022, and applies only to unincorporated Boone County.
Violations & Fines
Failing to correct, demolish, or obtain Hearing Board approval for an alternate plan within seven days of a § 150.62 notice of violation exposes the owner to a citation under § 150.65, with each day counted as a separate offense, plus a county lien on the property for all fines, legal fees and repair or demolition costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a structure "unsafe" under Boone County's code?
How long do I have to fix a condemned property after notice?
What happens if I ignore the Hearing Board's order?
Can Boone County demolish my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boone County
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