ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT

Columbus City Codes tit. 7, ch. 701

in effect

Columbus City Codes § 701.01 Title.

701.01 - Title. This chapter shall be known as the "Health, Sanitation and Safety Code" of the city of Columbus, hereinafter referred to as the Health, Sanitation and Safety Code or as this code. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 701.03 Purpose.

701.03 - Purpose. The purpose of this code is to protect the health, safety and welfare of all persons and occupants of all premises and to prevent the blighting of city neighborhoods by establishing minimum standards relative to: (A) The sanitary maintenance of premises; (B) The control and abatement of solid waste and litter; (C) The control and abatement of weeds; (D) Noxious weeds and rank growth; (E) The sanitary maintenance of animals; (F) The control and abatement of rodents; (G) Insects, vermin or other pests; and (H) The control and abatement of public nuisances. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 701.05 Relationship to other regulations.

701.05 - Relationship to other regulations. This code shall not be construed to prevent the enforcement of other ordinances or regulations that prescribe standards other than are provided in this code. This code establishes minimum standards relative to health, sanitation and safety for all premises and does not replace or modify requirements otherwise established by regulations that may be additional or more stringent. This code shall not be construed or interpreted to impair or limit in any way the authority of the health commissioner or the commissioner's authorized representative to cause the removal or abatement of public nuisances or hazards that may threaten health, safety or welfare of any person. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 701.07 Department Powers and Duties.

701.07 - Department Powers and Duties. (A) Functions, Powers and Duties. In order to protect the health, safety and welfare of any person, the department, unless otherwise specified, shall have the following authority, functions and duties: (1) To enforce the provisions of the Health, Sanitation and Safety Code by conducting inspections and reinspections, and by issuing notices of violation whenever a premises or structure is used or maintained contrary to the provisions of this code; (2) To maintain records of inspections performed and notices/orders issued; (3) To abate public nuisances. (B) Authority. (1) The director or the director's duly authorized representative shall have supervision, control and direction over matters relating to the sanitary maintenance of premises, the control and abatement of solid waste and litter, the control and abatement of weeds, noxious weeds and rank growth, the sanitary maintenance of animals, the control and abatement of rodents, insects, vermin or other pests, and the control and abatement of public nuisances. The director shall have the authority to cause the summary abatement of any public nuisance found on any premises. The director shall have the power and duty to administer and enforce the provisions of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code by means of forfeitures, injunctive actions, criminal complaints, and other remedies available by law. (2) The director is authorized to determine on what premises in the city weeds, noxious weeds, or rank growth of a height of twelve (12) or more inches is growing or about to spread mature seeds. After a determination has been made that such weeds, noxious weeds or rank growth constitute a public nuisance or endangers the health, safety or welfare of any person, it shall be the duty of the director to see that said weeds, noxious weeds or rank growth are removed or said public nuisance is abated. (3) The director is authorized to determine on what premises in the city solid waste is located. After a determination has been made that such solid waste constitutes a public nuisance or endangers the health, safety or welfare of any person, it shall be the duty of the director to see that said solid waste is removed or said public nuisance is abated. This section does not apply to premises being used under a city permit or license to operate a dump, junkyard or similar business. (4) The director is authorized to determine on what premises in the city that there exists a public nuisance. A public nuisance may include, but is not limited to, conditions resulting from the unsanitary maintenance of premises, conditions resulting from the unsanitary maintenance of animals, conditions resulting from the infestation of rodents, insects, vermin or other pests. After a determination has been made that the existence of the aforementioned conditions constitute a public nuisance or endangers the health, safety or welfare of any person, it shall be the duty of the director to see that said public nuisance is abated. (5) The director is authorized to promulgate reasonable rules to implement the provisions of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code, including rules governing the issuance of notices of violation under 703.17, 703.19, 703.20, 707.03 and 709.03 for conditions that exist in a street, alley, sidewalk or right-of-way. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part) ; Ord. 1552-01 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 1247-2012, § 1, 7-30-2012; Ord. No. 2328-2021, § 5, 9-20-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 701.09 Enforcement.

701.09 - Enforcement. Inspection, Right of Entry, Evidence. (1) The director in enforcing the provisions of the Health, Sanitation and Safety Code is hereby authorized and directed to make inspections pursuant to procedures of inspection by the department; or in response to a complaint that an alleged violation of the provision of this code or of applicable rules or orders pursuant thereto may exist; or when the director has valid reason to believe a violation of this code or any rules and orders pursuant thereto has been or is being committed. (2) Upon presentation of proper credentials, the director is authorized, where permission is granted, to enter any dwelling, dwelling unit, multiple dwelling, business building or premises in the City of Columbus at reasonable times to perform any duty imposed on the director by this code. If any owner or person having charge of a building or premises subject to the provisions of this code fails or refuses to permit free access and entry to the dwelling, dwelling unit, multiple dwelling, business building or premises under the control of the owner or person having charge of a building or premises or any part thereof, the director may apply to a judge of a court record, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 2933.21(F) for a warrant of search to conduct an inspection. A warrant of search to conduct an inspection shall not be issued except upon probable cause as provided in Ohio Revised Code 2933.22. (3) Every occupant of a premises or structure shall give the owner or operator thereof, or keeper, agent or employee, access to any part of such structure or its premises at all reasonable times for the purposes of making such inspection, maintenance, repairs or alterations as are necessary to comply with the requirements of this code. (4) All records pertaining to the identification of a complainant shall be kept confidential from the public record of inspection and notice of violation in regard to any dwelling, dwelling unit, multiple dwelling, business building or premises. (5) The director may obtain samples of evidence during inspections. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part); Ord. 1552-01 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021; Ord. No. 2328-2021, § 6, 9-20-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 701.11 Notice of violation.

701.11 - Notice of violation. (A) Issuance of notice of violation. Whenever the director determines, or has reasonable grounds to believe, that there exists a condition that violates any provisions or requirements set forth in the Ohio Statutes, the Ohio Administrative Code, or this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code, the director may issue a notice setting forth the alleged violations and advising the owner or person having charge that such violations must be corrected. (B) Content of Notice of Violation. (1) All notices of violation, except emergency orders, shall be in writing and shall be served on the person from whom action, forbearance or compliance is required. (2) All notices of violation shall identify the sections of the Health, Sanitation and Safety Code to which the order applies. (3) All notices of violation shall provide a description of the dwelling, dwelling unit, multiple dwelling, business building or premises where the violations are alleged to exist or to have been committed; and/or a description of the public nuisance and the premises where the said public nuisance is alleged to exist. (4) All notices of violation shall specify a reasonable time for compliance with the order. (5) All notices of violation shall advise the owner or person having charge of the right to appeal. (6) All notices of violation shall advise the owner or person having charge that if the order is not complied with by the specified date of compliance, the director may initiate a civil and/or criminal complaint against the owner or person having charge; and/or the director may, by city personnel or private contractor, cause the violations to be corrected with the cost of such correction to be charged as a lien upon the real estate. (7) If the premise is being rented to a residential tenant, then the notice provided to the property owner under this section shall inform the property owner of their liability for the cost of relocation assistance provided by the City to the tenant pursuant to C.C.C section 4509.061 in the event that the City must abate the nuisance by issuing an emergency order to vacate the premises pursuant to C.C.C section 4509.06 or C.C.C section 701.13, or an order that the property be kept vacant pursuant to C.C.C. section 4701.08. (C) Service of Notice of Violation. A notice of violation shall be served upon the owner or any person from whom action, forbearance or compliance is required. Such notice shall be served by any one (1) of the following methods: (1) Personal service; or (2) Certified mail; or (3) Residence service; or (4) Publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county; or (5) Regular mail service to an address that is reasonably believed to be: (a) A place of residence of the owner, or (b) A location at which the owner regularly receives mail; or (6) Posting the notice of violation on the property, except that if a structure or premise is vacant, then the notice shall be posted on the structure or premise and one (1) of the above methods of service shall also be used. (D) When the notice of violation has been properly serviced, the order shall be effective as to anyone having any interest in the premises whether recorded or not at the time the order was issued, and shall be effective against any subsequent owner of the premises as long as the violation exists and there remains a city record of the order in a public file maintained by the director. (E) Written or oral acknowledgment by the owner of receipt of a notice of violation shall be evidence that the owner received the notice of violation. An appeal of the notice of violation by the owner pursuant to Section 701.15 shall constitute evidence of written acknowledgment by the owner of service of notice of violation. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part); Ord. 1132-2008 Attach. (part).; Ord. No. 1987-2024, § 4, 7-15-2024)

Columbus City Codes § 701.13 Emergencies.

701.13 - Emergencies. A. Whenever the director finds that an emergency exists which requires immediate action to protect the health and safety of any person, he or she may issue an oral or written order reciting the existence of such an emergency and requiring that such action as the director deems necessary be taken to meet the emergency. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this code, such order shall be effective immediately and complied with immediately. B. If necessary to protect the health and safety of any person where an emergency exists in an occupied building, the director shall order that the premises be vacated forthwith and further that it shall not be reoccupied until the conditions causing the emergency to exist have been abated and approved by the director. C. In cases where it reasonably appears that there is imminent danger to the health and safety of any person unless the emergency condition is immediately corrected and if after reasonable attempts to notify the owner it appears that the owner will not or cannot immediately correct the condition, the director may cause the immediate abatement, including building demolition, of such emergency condition. The director shall further cause the cost of such abatement to be recovered by any means authorized by law. D. Relocation assistance provided pursuant to C.C.C section 4509.061 is considered an abatement cost pursuant to this section. If relocation assistance was provided by the City then the director shall cause the cost of such abatement to be recovered from the owner by any means authorized by law. E. The owner or person having charge shall, upon request pursuant to Section 701.15, be granted a hearing before the property maintenance appeals board on the matter. Such request for appeal shall not stay the requirement for compliance. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part); Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021; Ord. No. 1987-2024, § 5, 7-15-2024)

Columbus City Codes § 701.15 Appeals of notice of violation.

701.15 - Appeals of notice of violation. Appeals of any notice of violation for an alleged violation of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code issued by the department shall be made in writing within fifteen (15) days of the date of service of the notice of violation, pursuant to the requirements prescribed in Columbus City Code Chapter 4509. Any person affected by a notice of violation in connection with this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code may request and shall be granted a hearing before the property maintenance appeals board on all matters set forth in such notice of violation. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part); Ord. 1552-01 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 2328-2021, § 7, 9-20-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 701.17 Prohibition against failure to comply with notice of violation.

701.17 - Prohibition against failure to comply with notice of violation. (A) No owner or person having charge or authority over a violation of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code shall fail to comply with any notice of violation of the department for a violation of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code, obstruct or interfere with the execution of such order, or omit to obey such notice of violation. (B) No person shall fail to comply within the time specified in a notice of violation after receiving notification of being in violation of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part); Ord. 1552-01 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 2328-2021, § 7, 9-20-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 701.19 Procedure upon failure to comply with notice of violation.

701.19 - Procedure upon failure to comply with notice of violation. Whenever, upon inspection the director determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is a violation of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code resulting in the existence of an actual or potential public nuisance, or whenever there exist conditions that adversely affect the health, safety or welfare of any person, or when notices issued pursuant to this code or other notice sections of city codes do not alleviate such a public nuisance or condition, the director may: (A) Cause solid waste to be removed from any premises and may employ the necessary labor to perform the task; (B) Cause weeds, noxious weeds or rank growth to be cut or destroyed and removed from any premises and may employ the necessary labor to perform the task; (C) Cause the correction or abatement of any condition which violates any section of the Health, Sanitation and Safety Code in regards to the sanitary maintenance of premises, the sanitary maintenance of animals, the control and abatement of rodents, insects, vermin or other pests, and the control and abatement of public nuisances and may employ the necessary labor to perform the task; (D) Upon performance of the labor mentioned in divisions (A), (B), and (C) with respect to abatement of the above-mentioned public nuisances, the director shall with respect to each parcel of land report to city council a statement of the charge for the services, the amount paid for performing the labor, and the fees of the officers who made the service of the notice and return; (E) Upon receipt of the statement and approval thereof by council, the city clerk shall make a return in writing to the auditor of the applicable county of such statement which shall be entered upon the tax duplicate of the county, all in accordance with Ohio Revised Code, Sections 731.51-731.54; (F) Cause to be filed a civil complaint for injunctive relief seeking abatement of the public nuisance in a court of jurisdiction. The procedures to be followed will be pursuant to the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure; or (G) Cause to be filed a criminal complaint in a court of jurisdiction. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 701.99 Violation and penalties.

701.99 - Violation and penalties. A. Whoever violates the Health, Sanitation and Safety Code, unless specified elsewhere in this code, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree and fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisoned not more than one hundred eighty (180) days or both. An organization convicted of a violation of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code, a misdemeanor of the first degree, shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00). This penalty is in addition to and separate from any civil or administrative penalties or remedies provided for by this code or pursuant to Ohio law. B. Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such. C. Strict liability is intended to be imposed for violation of the Health, Sanitation and Safety Code. D. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the director from pursuing the enforcement of any provision of this Health, Sanitation and Safety Code or the Ohio Revised Code through any other remedy available by law, including but not limited to causing to be filed in the environmental division of the Franklin County Municipal Court a civil complaint for injunctive relief or a criminal misdemeanor complaint. (Ord. 858-01 §§ 1 (part), 2 (part); Ord. No. 0024-2014, § 2, 2-3-2014; Ord. No. 3019-2016, § 1, 12-12-2016)

Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT7HESASACO_CH701ADENFetched: 10/27/2026