Obstructing, using or defacing fire hydrants; permits, fees and charges.
Columbus City Codes § 1113.03
in effect1113.03 - Obstructing, using or defacing fire hydrants; permits, fees and charges.
(A) (1)
No person shall in any manner, obstruct or cause to be obstructed, any fire hydrant in the city, nor place or cause to be placed, in or upon any public place or thoroughfare of the city, within ten (10) feet of any fire hydrant any articles, things, materials, dirt, snow or other substances so as to obstruct such hydrant.
(2) No person other than employees of the City of Columbus, Division of Fire or Division of Water, shall connect any hose with or draw any water from, nor in any way molest or interfere with any of the fire hydrants of the city, without a permit approved by the fire official and the administrator of the Division of Water, or their designees.
(3) The Fire Official and the Director of Columbus Water & Power shall have authority as may be necessary in the interest of public safety, health and general welfare to promulgate rules and regulations, to interpret and implement the provisions of this chapter, to secure the intent thereof, to establish permit fees and to designate requirements applicable because of climatic or other conditions.
(4) No person authorized to use a fire hydrant under a permit issued pursuant to (A)(2) above shall violate any of the conditions of the permit or any of the rules or regulations pertaining to said permit.
(5) Except when authorized by a permit issued pursuant to (A)(2) above, no person shall paint, decorate, deface, or in any manner destroy any fire hydrant in the city.
(B) Whoever violates Section 1113.03(A)(4), including any prescribed rule or regulation authorized by this chapter, shall be charged for unauthorized use of water through a fire hydrant in the amount of three hundred ($300.00) dollars per occurrence plus the cost of repair for any damage to the fire hydrant.
(Ord. 2902-88; Ord. 422-06 § 2 (part); Ord. No. 2398-2012, § 7, 12-3-2012; Ord. No. 1882-2026, § 1, 6-29-2026)
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=TIT11WASEELCO_CH1113OFPEWASU_1113.03OBUSDEFIHYPEFECHFetched: 10/27/2026