Olathe, KS Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited condition
- Garbage/refuse that breeds vermin
- Covers
- Rodents, insects, other vermin
- Enforcement agency
- Community Risk Reduction Section
- Max fine
- $1,000 for third conviction
- Governing section
- OMC § 15.22.076
Summary
Olathe bans letting garbage or refuse pile up on any property if it creates a foul smell or lets rodents, insects, or other vermin breed or threaten to breed there.
302.1.2 Unsanitary premises. No owner, occupant or other person shall allow the accumulation of garbage or refuse on any land which causes or creates a foul, unhealthy or offensive smell, or in which disease-carrying insects, rodents or other vermin may breed, or may reasonably be expected to breed. For the purposes of this section the word “garbage” shall mean animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking, storage, or consumption of food. The word “refuse” shall mean all putrescible and non-putrescible solid wastes, including garbage, rubbish, debris, ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, abandoned or inoperable automobiles, abandoned or inoperable household appliances, movable furniture not designed for or modified to withstand the elements and outdoor use, and industrial wastes. (Ord. 19-36 § 14, 2019.)
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-39, passed July 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Olathe added Section 302.1.2 to the Property Maintenance Code specifically to target vermin-breeding conditions. No owner, occupant, or other person may let garbage or refuse accumulate on land in a way that causes a foul, unhealthy, or offensive smell, or that lets disease-carrying insects, rodents, or other vermin breed, or where breeding could reasonably be expected. The section defines garbage as food-handling and food-preparation waste, and refuse broadly to include rubbish, debris, ashes, dead animals, and abandoned appliances or vehicles. The Community Risk Reduction Section of the Olathe Fire Department enforces this as the City's property maintenance department.
Violations & Fines
Unsanitary-premises violations carry Property Maintenance Code misdemeanor fines: up to $250 for a first conviction, $500 for a second within two years, and $1,000 for a third.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an unsanitary premises in Olathe?
Who enforces Olathe's rodent-control rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Olathe
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Rodent Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Johnson County handle rodent control.