by BECKY GOFF
Little Apple Post
RILEY COUNTY - Effective July 1st, 2024, due to Kansas Senate Bill 384, Riley County will have the authority to address nuisances on properties in the unincorporated areas of Riley County and bill the property owners for the cost of the work to remove the nuisances.
Knowingly allowing conditions which endanger public health, safety and welfare is a property nuisance. Examples of nuisances includes: storage of abandoned vehicles, broken furniture, discarded refrigerators or other hazardous materials.
Typically, nuisances reports are initiated by neighbor complaints. When complaints are received, the Riley County Planning & Development/Environmental Health starts with a visual inspection of the property before contacting the property owner of any issues that are considered to be a nuisance or is in violation of zoning ordinances.
County staff will not enter property during the inspection, the notice of violation will be sent to property owner with detailed information about the nuisance.
Prior to the passage of this bill, the county had limited recourse if the property owner refused to comply.
"Enforcement in the past was challenging and problematic for both the property owners and the county. There wasn’t a clear-cut or simple way to request a court order for property cleanup, no matter how long the problem had been going on or how significant the impact was on the community," explained Amanda Webb, Director of Planning & Development/Environmental Health.
After July 1st, Riley County can hire a contractor to remove the nuisance and then bill the property owner for the removal costs.
“Most people comply after one or two letters. Unfortunately, there have been instances where a property owner refused to comply even after a court order. Now, with this new tool, we can mitigate unsafe conditions more effectively. We will use it sparingly and judiciously,” Webb stated.
If you see unsafe conditions or nuisances that could harm the health of Riley County residents, please notify Environmental Health by calling 785-537-6332.For more information about SB384, visit the Kansas Legislature website at https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb384/Several rules and regulations will govern the abatement process, and it will not apply to any agricultural-related activities or items. This new process is intended to ensure compliance, but not interfere with any approved activities on any land within Riley County.