Administration Fire Planning & Zoning Police Public Works Administration Question: What are your hours of operation? Answer: Our office is open Monday Through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST, excluding holidays. Question: How do I get a street light near my home working? Answer: Contact your electric company with the nearest address of the outage. Question: How can I get an appointment with the Mayor to discuss my unresolved issue? Answer: You may arrange for an appointment with the Mayor by calling 270-877-2422 during regular office hours. Question: Which company handles my garbage collection, and where can I pay my bill? Answer: Borders Recycling and Disposal holds the current Franchise agreement with the City of Vine Grove. Citizens who reside within city limits are required by ordinance to use this service. To open an account, you may call 270-360-1700. Bills may be paid locally at Wilson & Muir Bank, which is located at 123 West Main Street in Vine Grove. Question: Why do I need a business license and how do I obtain one? Answer: If you are doing business or plan to do business within the city limits of Vine Grove, you are required to have a business license. To obtain a license, stop by City Hall during regular business hours to fill out an application and pay a fee. The fee will depend on the type of business you wish to open. If you are unable to visit City Hall, you may call 270-877-2422 and make arrangements to obtain your license through the mail. If you plan to operate a business in your home, you may be required to apply for a conditional use permit. Fire Question: Am I allowed to burn rubbish, tree leaves, etc., within the city limits? Answer: The City of Vine Grove allows for the burning of leaves and living material cut on your property. In accordance with the Kentucky Division of Air Qualify, the burning of anything other than leaves and brush is strictly prohibited. There are some exceptions to this policy, so please call your local fire department or the 911 center at 270-737-4217 with any questions regarding what can and cannot be burned. Question: Is the Fire Department staffed full-time? Answer: No. We are a volunteer department. We are on call, though, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and 365 days per year. Question: What are some tips to fireproofing my home? Answer: Have properly mounted smoke detectors. Please be sure to change the batteries on battery-operated detectors at least twice per year. Have a working fire extinguisher in an easily accessible area in your home and be properly educated on the use of it! (PASS - Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep) Have established plans of exit for all areas of your home. Educate you and your family on those plans of exit. Have at least 2 means of exit for each area of your home where possible. Be sure to practice these plans at different times of the day to ensure adequate knowledge for all members of your family. Question: What is the proper way of displaying my house number? Answer: To ensure that emergency personnel are able to locate your home under any condition, whether it is day or night, please display your house number prominently. The best means of displaying these numbers is to use at least 3-4 inch reflective numbers on your home and/or mailbox. Also be sure that shrubs, decorative displays and other obstructions do not cover or hide those numbers. RememberÉ..seconds count! If the emergency personnel are unable to see the numbers, they may pass you by! Question: How do I become a volunteer fire fighter for the Vine Grove Fire Department? Answer: The fire department meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month at 7:00pm. Please stop in and request an application from one of our many fire fighters. Feel free to stay and talk with any and all fire fighters. They will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. After completing and turning in of your application, one of the chief officers will contact you personally for an interview. Requirements for membership will be discussed at that time. Question: What are general requirements for becoming a volunteer fire fighter with the Vine Grove Fire Department? Answer: A firefighter must: Complete a certified 150-hour training course over a two-year period of time to be a Kentucky certified fire fighter. Be physically capable of performing specific tasks required in fire fighting. Training sessions are typically given weekly at the Vine Grove Fire Department as well as surrounding area fire departments. Be willing to set aside time for meetings, trainings and response calls whenever they arise. One must be willing to do this on a 24-hour basis, 7 days/week with the exception of your regular employment duties. Planning & Zoning Question: Why do I need a building permit and how do I obtain one? Answer: If you are planning to build a fence, shed or new home, or if you are planning to change the dimensions on an existing structure, within the city limits of Vine Grove, you are required to have a building permit. To obtain your permit, you will need to come to City Hall and fill out an application and pay a fee. The fee is based on cost of construction. Question: What is the Comprehensive Plan? Answer: The Comprehensive Plan is a planning document prepared on behalf of the Planning Commission as a guide for community policies relating to the growth and development of the community. It addresses the areas of transportation, utilities and future land use. As required by state law, the plan is reviewed every five years. Question: If I want to change the dimensions of my property by dividing or combining lots, does the City have to approve this? Answer: Yes, the procedure for revising any lot within the city limits is to file a subdivision plat. The review is submitted to our Planning and Zoning Commission, and is considered a minor subdivision. The plat submitted for review is required to be prepared by a licensed surveyor. Question: I would like to erect a garage or shed in my back yard, but I would like to place it closer to the property line than City ordinance allows. Can I do this? Answer: Building setback requirements are established for the protection of all property owners. However, it is recognized that in certain cases these restrictions may not be appropriate. In these instances, the Board of Zoning Adjustment holds a public hearing to determine if it is appropriate to allow a homeowner to vary from the standards in the Zoning Ordinance. Question: I want to install a sign at my business. Do I need a permit? Answer: Yes. A sign permit is issued for the erection of business signs to assure that they are in compliance with the height, area and location requirements for signs as established in the Zoning Ordinance. For safety, an inspection for any electrical work associated with the sign is also required through the county. Police Question: How do I get a copy of an accident report? Answer: Copies of accident reports are available at City Hall, which is located at 300 West Main Street in Vine Grove. Telephone 270-877-2422. The cost for each report is $2.00. Question: How do I file a Police Report? Answer: You may call the department at 270-877-2252 and request a police officer respond to your location or you may come to the police department, which is located in the City Hall building at 300 West Main Street. Question: How can I get crime prevention or other related police presentation for my group, school or organization? Answer: Call the Police Chief at 270-877-2262. Question: How can I get a records check? Answer: You can get a check of your records at the Vine Grove Police Department with proof of your identification. This is only a check of arrest or citations from our agency. A complete check can be done at the Hardin County Circuit Clerks Office located in the Hardin County Justice Center. Question: My neighbor's grass is very tall, can the City do anything about that? Answer: After a complaint is filed, an officer will investigate. If the officer determines a violation of a City ordinance relating to the height of grass has been violated, he or she issues a notice of violation which informs the owner of the violation and directs the violation to be corrected within a certain time. If the violation is not corrected, then a citation can be issued. Public Works Question: Can the City repair water and sewer lines? Answer: The City cannot do any repairs on private property. Question: Does the City pick up tree limbs or old furniture and appliances? Answer: The City does not have the facilities to handle these items. However, you may contact your garbage hauler to arrange to have these items removed. Question: Can you help me locate water and sewer lines on my property? Answer: The City does not possess maps of water or sewer lines located on private property. In order to locate those lines, you will need to contact your builder or a plumber. We can, however, locate most lines that run from the street to the meter. Question: How do I obtain water and sewer taps, and how much do they cost? Answer: An application for water and sewer taps is available at City Hall. The cost of a tap depends on the size requested.     Copyright © 2005-2008 by the City of Vine Grove - Vine Grove, Kentucky -