Bowling Green, KY Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Bowling Green has adopted the 2006 International Property Maintenance Code under City Code Chapter 27, with a local amendment to IPMC Section 302.4 that designates 10 inches as the maximum height of weeds or plant growth on properties in the city (except agricultural properties). The presence of any weeds or plant growth, including grass — but excluding crops, trees, bushes, flowers, or other ornamental plants — in excess of 10 inches in height is declared a nuisance. The 10-inch rule applies uniformly to vacant lots and occupied parcels. The property owner is responsible for weeds and plant growth on the lot, plus the easements and rights-of-way that extend from the property line to the curb (or to the street where no curb exists). Vacant land is also subject to the broader nuisance provisions of City Code 27-5.05 — vacant structures and premises must be kept clean, safe, secure, and sanitary so as not to cause a blighting problem. Enforcement begins with a Notice of Violation issued by City of Bowling Green Code Compliance & Animal Protection (270-393-3444). Upon failure to comply, the owner is subject to prosecution, and the city or its authorized contractors may enter the property to cut and destroy the weeds. The cost is charged to the property owner and may be filed as a lien. Citations are adjudicated by the Code Enforcement and Nuisance Board under City Code 2-21 using the civil-offense process authorized by KRS 82.700–82.725. General ordinance fines run up to $100 per offense per day.