Jessamine County, KY Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Illegal dumping in the unincorporated county is governed by § 93.03, "Prohibition on Another Person's Property," in Chapter 93 of the Jessamine County Code of Ordinances. It provides that no person shall place, leave, deposit or otherwise undertake to dispose of any discarded item upon any private property, or upon any public property or right-of-way in the county. The words "otherwise undertake to dispose of" reach attempts as well as completed dumping.

The items covered come from the definition in § 93.01. DISCARDED ITEMS includes but is not limited to motor vehicles, boats, home appliances, furniture and equipment left in a dilapidated or apparently inoperable condition and discarded on private property for more than 7 consecutive days. Exclusions apply for items lawfully enclosed in a building or fence, items not visible from the street, road or public park, and items stored in connection with a licensed dismantler, licensed vehicle dealer or junk yard.

The second sentence of § 93.03 gives landowners a remedy. Any person whose property lies within the unincorporated area of the county and on whose property a discarded item is disposed can file a complaint with the County Sheriff or a Wilmore-Jessamine County Code Enforcement Official. That route is for the victim of a dump, while § 93.02 governs the person who keeps a discarded item on their own land, where the Fiscal Court declares discarded items public nuisances and a law enforcement officer with probable cause can cite the owner, renter or occupant into the district court of Jessamine County.

The penalty section, § 93.99(D), separates dumping on another's property from keeping items on one's own. Dumping under § 93.03 carries a higher range than the § 93.02 range of $25 to $100 under § 93.99(C). Open dumping of solid waste is also a concern of the county's separate solid waste chapter; Chapter 50 as printed in the code is a City of Wilmore ordinance with its own penalty, so it is not a rule for the unincorporated county. County-owned property is covered by § 95.01, which lets the Fiscal Court post a prohibition against littering and enforce it with a fine of up to $250 and or 90 days in jail.