Donation boxes in the city of Covington now has to kept to strict guidelines after the city council approved a text amendment to the zoning ordinance regulating unmanned donation boxes Monday.

The property owners of the location, or owner of the donation boxes, must now keep up the maintaince on the boxes.

Among the language in Section 16.20.0.20, accessory use, section O.3 “the owner and/or operator shall operate and maintain or cause to be operated and maintained all unmanned donation boxes located in the city.”

Also stated in the ordinance is that the owner/operator must have contact information, such as phone number, address and email visible in two-inch type from the front of the box. Donation boxes also need to be locked, shall be serviced, have no items on our outside the box and be no larger than 7-feet tall, 7-feet wide and 7-feet deep.

“The last sentence of the ordinance puts the property owner on notice: you have still responsible for the property,” said Scott Gaither of Covington’s Zoning and Planning Department said. “While you allow boxes on property you are still responsible for it.”

While presenting the zoning and planning department’s recommendation, Gaither told the city council he counted 19 donation boxes driving from Kmart to Walmart on Hwy. 278.