{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-67.083","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 67.083","heading":"Additional powers of fiscal courts.","body":"(1) It is the purpose of this section to provide counties as units of general purpose local\ngovernment with the necessary latitude and flexibility to provide and finance\nvarious governmental services within those functional areas specified in subsection\n(3) of this section, while the General Assembly retains full authority to prescribe\nand limit by statute local governmental activities when it deems the action\nnecessary.\n(2) The fiscal court of any county is hereby authorized to levy all taxes not in conflict\nwith the Constitution and statutes of this Commonwealth now or hereafter enacted.\n(3) The fiscal court shall have the power to carry out governmental functions necessary\nfor the operation of the county. Except as otherwise provided by statute or the\nKentucky Constitution, the fiscal court of any county may enact ordinances, issue\nregulations, levy taxes, issue bonds, appropriate funds, and employ personnel in\nperformance of the following public functions:\n(a) Control of animals and abatement of public nuisances;\n(b) Regulation of public gatherings;\n(c) Public sanitation and vector control;\n(d) Provision of hospitals, ambulance service, programs for the health and welfare\nof the aging and juveniles, and other public health facilities and services;\n(e) Provision of corrections facilities and services, and programs for the\nconfinement, care, and rehabilitation of juvenile law offenders;\n(f) Provision of parks, nature preserves, swimming pools, recreation areas,\nlibraries, museums, and other recreational and cultu ral facilities and\nprograms;\n(g) Provision of cemeteries and memorials;\n(h) Conservation, preservation, and enhancement of natural resources including\nsoils, water, air, vegetation, and wildlife;\n(i) Control of floods;\n(j) Facilitating the construction and purchase of new and existing housing;\ncausing the repair or demolition of structures which present a hazard to public\nhealth, safety, or morals or are otherwise inimical to the welfare of residents\nof the county; causing the redevelopment of housing and related commercial,\nindustrial, and service facilities in urban or rural area s; providing education\nand counseling services and technical assistance to present and future\nresidents of publicly assisted housing;\n(k) Planning, zoning, and subdivision control according to the provisions of KRS\nChapter 100;\n(l) Adoption, by reference o r in full, of technical codes governing new\nconstruction, renovation, or maintenance of structures intended for human\noccupancy;\n(m) Regulation of commerce for the protection and convenience of the public;\n(n) Regulation of the sale of alcoholic beverages according to the provisions of\nKRS Chapters 241 to 244;\n(o) Exclusive management of solid wastes by ordinance, contract, or both and\ndisposition of abandoned vehicles;\n(p) Provision of public buildings, including armories, necessary for the effective\ndelivery of public services;\n(q) Cooperation with other units of government and private agencies for the\nprovision of public services, including but not limited to training, educational\nservices, and cooperative extension service programs;\n(r) Provision of wate r, sewage, and garbage disposal service but not gas or\nelectricity; including management of onsite sewage disposal systems;\n(s) Licensing or franchising of cable television;\n(t) Provision of streets and roads, bridges, tunnels and related facilities,\nelimination of grade crossings, provision of parking facilities, and\nenforcement of traffic and parking regulations;\n(u) Provision of police and fire protection;\n(v) Regulation of taxis, buses, and other passenger vehicles for hire;\n(w) Provision and operation of air, rail and bus terminals, port facilities, and\npublic transportation systems;\n(x) Promotion of economic development of the county, directly or in cooperation\nwith public or private agencies, including the provision of access roads, land\nand buildings, and promotion of tourism and conventions;\n(y) Care and maintenance of pedestrian swinging bridges that are available for\nrecreation and public enjoyment;\n(z) Preservation of historic structures; and\n(aa) Regulation of establishments or commercial enterpr ises offering adult\nentertainment and adult entertainment activities.\n(4) The county judge/executive is hereby authorized and empowered to exercise all the\nexecutive powers pursuant to this section.\n(5) A county acting under authority of this section may a ssume, own, possess, and\ncontrol assets, rights, and liabilities related to the functions and services of the\ncounty.\n(6) (a) If a county is authorized to regulate an area which the Commonwealth also\nregulates, the county government may regulate the area o nly by enacting\nordinances which are consistent with state law or administrative regulation.\n(b) If the state statute or administrative regulation prescribes a single standard of\nconduct, a county ordinance is consistent if it is identical to the state sta tute or\nadministrative regulation.\n(c) If the state statute or administrative regulation prescribes a minimal standard\nof conduct, a county ordinance is consistent if it establishes a standard which\nis the same as or more stringent than the state standard.\n(d) A county government may adopt ordinances which incorporate by reference\nstate statutes and administrative regulations in areas in which a county\ngovernment is authorized to act.\n(7) County ordinances which prescribe penalties for their violation shall  be enforced\nthroughout the entire area of the county unless:\n(a) Otherwise provided by statute; or\n(b) The legislative body of any city within the county h as adopted an ordinance\npertaining to the same subject matter which is the same as or more stringent\nthan the standards that are set forth in the county ordinance. The fiscal court\nshall forward a copy of each ordinance which is to be enforced throughout t he\nentire area of the county to the mayor of each city in the county.\n(8) (a) The powers granted to counties by this section shall be in addition to all other\npowers granted to counties by other provisions of law. These powers, other\nthan the power to tax, may be exercised cooperatively by:\n1. Two (2) or more counties;\n2. A county and a city;\n3. A county and a special district; or\n4. A county and the Commonwealth through, but not limited to, joint\ncontracts, joint ownership of property, or the exchange of s ervices,\nincluding personnel and equipment.\nWhen counties cooperate in the provision of public services, contracts shall be\ndrawn to document the benefits and relative cost for each of the participating\ngovernments. One (1) government may pay one hundred percent (100%), or a\nlesser percentage, of all or any part of the cost of the joint undertaking, based\nupon the written contract required by this subsection.\n(b) A permissive procedure authorized by this section shall not be deemed to be\nexclusive or to pr ohibit the exercise of other existing laws and laws which\nmay hereafter be enacted but shall be an alternative or supplement thereto.\n(9) Any agency of county government exercising authority pursuant to subsection\n(3)(z) of this section shall, prior to exe rcising the authority, obtain the voluntary\nwritten consent of the owner of the structure. Consent may be obtained only after\nadvising the owner in writing of any advantages and disadvantages to the owner\nwhich are likely to result from the exercise of the authority.","path":["KRS Chapter 67"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=58142","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:49:25Z","sha256":"66d405eab47970cf715aa0400b1c9c1d38d96bc5b13395f41a535309d854d8cb","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-67.082","next":"us-ky/krs-67.0831"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}