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81A.005   Annexation by city of first class that has in effect a cooperative compact 
with its county. 
(1)  When  a  city  of  the  first  class,  which  has  in  effect  a  compact  with  the  county 
pursuant  to  KRS  79.310  to  79.330,  desires  to  annex  unincorporated  territory,  the 
legislative body of the city shall enact an ordinance stating the intention of the city 
to  annex.  If  an  ordinance  proposing  to  annex  unincorporated  territory  has  been 
enacted prior to July 15, 1986, and the ordinance annexing the territory to the city 
has not been enacted, then in order for the city to annex the territory during the time 
the compact is in effect, the legislative body of the city shall reenact the ordinance 
only including the same territory as the original and stating the intention of the city 
to  annex.  Such  ordinances  shall  accurately  define  the  boundary  of  the 
unincorporated territory proposed to be annexed, and declare it desirable to annex 
the unincorporated territory. 
(2)  The mayor of the city shall deliver a certified copy of the ordinance to the county 
clerk  of  the  county  in  which the territory proposed to  be annexed is  located, who 
shall  have  prepared  to  be  placed  before  the  voters  in  each  precinct  embraced  in 
whole or in part within the territory proposed to be annexed the question: "Are you 
in  favor of being annexed to  the city of ...........?" If only a part of any precinct is 
embraced  within  the  territory  proposed  to  be  annexed  only  persons  who  reside 
within the territory proposed to be annexed shall be permitted to vote. The question 
shall be submitted to the voters at the next regular election if the ordinance is filed 
with  the  county  clerk  not  later  than  the  second  Tuesday  in  August  preceding  the 
regular election. The clerk shall cause the sheriff or sheriffs to deliver to the election 
officers  in  each  precinct  in  the  appropriate  counties  copies  of  the  ordinance 
proposing to annex: 
(a)  If more than fifty percent (50%) of those voting on the question approve of the 
annexation,  the  legislative  body  may  proceed  to  annex  the  territory.  Within 
sixty (60) days of the certification of the election results in which more than 
fifty  percent  (50%)  of  those  voting  in  the  election  approved  the  annexation, 
the legislative body of the city may enact an ordinance annexing to the city the 
territory  described  in  the  ordinance.  Upon  enactment  of  the  ordinance  the 
territory shall become part of the city for all purposes; or 
(b)  If  fifty  percent  (50%)  or  less  of  those  voting  on  the  question  approve  the 
annexation, the ordinance proposing annexation shall become ineffectual for 
any purpose, subject to the provisions of KRS 81A.460. 
(3)  Once the ordinance stating the intention of the city to annex an area has been given 
its first reading or enacted by the city legislative body, no part of such area may be 
incorporated or be annexed by another city, unless such incorporation or annexation 
is pending at the time the ordinance is given its first reading, until the annexation 
proposal by the city of the first class is defeated pursuant to subsection (2) of this 
section or until the ordinance is withdrawn, repealed, or amended as to the area to 
be annexed according to subsection (4) of this section. This subsection shall apply 
to any proposing ordinance which has had a first reading or has been enacted as of 
January  1,  1986.  Notwithstanding  anything  to  the  contrary  in  this  subsection,  any 
 
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annexation  by  a  city  other  than  the  first  class  or  incorporation  prior to  January 1, 
1986, shall not be nullified by the application of KRS 79.310 to 79.330; provided, 
however, that any city of the first class shall retain any legal annexation priorities 
which existed on January 1, 1986, to the territory so annexed or incorporated. All 
pending  litigation challenging annexation of a specific unincorporated territory by 
the city of the first class arising from ordinances proposing to annex such territory 
enacted prior to July 15, 1986, shall, at the discretion of the court, be remanded on 
the  docket  of  the  appropriate  court  without  prejudice  during  the  term  of  the 
compact. 
(4)  The legislative body of the city may elect to amend the description of the territory 
proposed to be annexed under an ordinance stating the intention of the city to annex 
an area as described in subsection (1) of this section at any time after June 1, 1998, 
and  prior  to  September  30,  1998,  for  the  purpose  of  excluding  a  specific  area  or 
areas from the ordinance in order to permit these areas to be annexed by an abutting 
city located in the county according to KRS 81A.412. Amendment of the ordinance 
according  to  this  subsection  shall  not  affect  the  priority  granted  this  annexation 
proposal according to subsection (3) of this section. 
Effective:  June 1, 1998 
History:  Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 104, sec. 2, effective June 1, 1998.  -- Amended 
1996  Ky.  Acts  ch. 195,  sec. 42,  effective  July  15,  1996.  --  Created  1986  Ky.  Acts 
ch. 77, sec. 6, effective July 15, 1986.