Nicholasville, KY Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Sec. 11-2(a) is written for land, not buildings: weeds such as jimson, burdock, ragweed, thistle, cocklebur, poison ivy, poison oak or other weeds of a like kind found growing in any lot or tract of land within the city are declared a nuisance, and it is unlawful to permit them to grow or remain in any such place. That reaches an empty lot with no structure on it. The height rule in Sec. 11-2(b) runs alongside: the owner of any building or lot may not permit weeds, grass or plants to exceed eight (8) inches anywhere on the lot.

Sec. 11-2(d) exempts property zoned for agricultural uses from subsections (a) and (b). The exemption stops applying when the property has been planned for development and a subdivision plat has been filed of record in the zoning office reflecting the property as residential, so a platted residential lot that is still undeveloped is covered.

Other provisions reach vacant land too. Sec. 11-3(a)(1) lists ashes, rubbish, garbage, lumber, bricks, cinder blocks, building debris and refuse as a nuisance, and Sec. 11-3(a)(4) requires any excavation or fill to be free from standing water, with soil or rock stockpiled only during construction under a valid building permit or grading permit. Sec. 11-4(a)(3)b names the accumulation of any rubbish outside of any building. In the adopted property maintenance provisions, Sec. 6-302(b) requires premises to be graded to prevent erosion and stagnant water, Sec. 6-302(d) sets a twelve (12) inch weed figure, and Sec. 6-302(e) requires exterior property to be kept free of rodent harborage.