Violations
Columbus City Codes § 2501.09
in effect2501.09 - Violations
2501.09.1 Fire Code violation. No person shall knowingly violate any provision of the Columbus Fire Prevention Code or the Ohio Fire Code as incorporated into the Columbus Fire Prevention Code or any order made pursuant to such.
2501.09.1.1 Orders to eliminate dangerous or hazardous conditions. Whenever the fire code official shall find in any structure or upon any premises dangerous or hazardous conditions or materials as follows, the fire code official shall order such dangerous conditions or materials to be removed or remedied in accordance with the provisions of this Code:
1. Dangerous conditions which are liable to cause or contribute to the spread of fire in or on said premises, building or structure or endanger the occupants thereof.
2. Conditions which would interfere with the efficiency and use of any fire protection equipment.
3. Obstructions to or on fire escapes, stairs, passageways, doors or windows, liable to interfere with the egress of occupants or the operation of the fire department in case of fire.
4. Accumulations of dust or waste material in air conditioning or ventilation systems or grease in kitchen or other exhaust ducts.
5. Accumulations of grease in kitchen cooking equipment, or oil, grease or dirt upon, under or around any mechanical equipment.
6. Accumulations of rubbish, waste, paper, boxes, shavings, or other combustible materials, or excessive storage of any combustible material.
7. Hazardous conditions arising from defective or improperly used or installed electrical wiring, equipment or appliances.
8. Hazardous conditions arising from defective or improperly installed equipment for handling or using combustible, explosive or otherwise hazardous materials.
9. Dangerous or unlawful amounts of combustible, explosive or otherwise hazardous materials.
10. All equipment, materials, processes or operations which are in violation of the provisions and intent of this code.
2501.09.2 Inspection findings. Whenever the fire code official observes an apparent or actual violation of a provision of this code, the rules or regulations of the fire code official promulgated under Section 2501.04.1 of this code, or any other code or ordinance under the fire code official's jurisdiction, the fire code official shall prepare a written inspection findings report describing the section of this code violated, order the correction of the violations, and specifying reasonable time limits for the required repairs or improvements to be made to render the building, structure or premises safe and secure.
2501.09.2.1 Notification. The inspection findings report shall be served upon the responsible person as defined in this code.
2501.09.2.2 Responsibility for compliance with the Fire Code. "Responsible person" means the person or entity responsible for compliance with the Ohio Fire Code or the Columbus Fire Prevention Code, including but not limited to, the owner, lessee, agent, operator, or occupant of a building, premises, or vehicle. Responsible persons may include, but are not limited to, individuals, unincorporated associations, business associations, partnerships, corporations, or any other entity recognized by State law, it's or their successors or assigns or the agent of any of the aforesaid.
2501.09.2.3 Failure to comply. Any person or responsible person violating any of the provisions of this Code or failing to comply with any order issued pursuant to any section thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Each day that a violation continues, after a service of notice as provided for in this Code, shall be deemed a separate offense.
2501.09.2.4 Citation. In the case of a repeat offender, or a continuing violation, or for any other violation which in the discretion of the fire code official warrants it, an inspection findings report need not be served upon the responsible person. Instead the fire code official may issue a citation pursuant to Section 2501.09.4 of this code or file a criminal complaint in the Franklin County Municipal Court charging the responsible person with a violation of this code.
2501.09.2.5 Service. The inspection findings report shall be served as follows:
1. Such inspection findings report shall be made by personal delivery, posting, email, or by U.S mail.
2. If such inspection findings report is unable to be made by personal delivery, or if the mail envelope containing the inspection findings report is returned with showing it was undeliverable, the fire code official shall send a copy of the aforementioned inspection findings report to the last known address of the responsible person by ordinary mail. The fire code official shall keep a record of the fact that inspection findings report was sent by ordinary mail and the service of the inspection findings report shall be deemed complete when the fact of the mailing is entered in such record provided the ordinary mail envelope is not returned by the postal authorities showing failure of delivery.
3. If the address of such person or responsible person referred to in 2501.01.09.2.2 of this code is unknown or if service by ordinary mail pursuant to 2501.01.09.2.2 of this code is incomplete, the fire code official shall cause the notice to be posted on the structure.
2501.09.3 Compliance with orders. No person shall fail to comply with a reasonable order issued pursuant to this code by the fire code official. If the responsible person does not comply with an order to correct violations within an inspection findings report, then the fire code official may:
1. Issue a citation pursuant to Section 2501.09.2.4 of this code.
2. File a criminal complaint in the Franklin County Municipal Court charging the responsible person with a violation of Section 2501.09.2.4 of this code.
3. Request the Columbus city attorney to institute the appropriate legal proceedings to restrain, correct or abate such violation or to require removal or termination of the unlawful use of the building or structure in violation of a provision of this code or of any order or direction made pursuant thereto.
2501.09.4 Failure to comply, citations, civil penalties. Any responsible person who fails to comply with an order to correct violations within an inspection findings report issued pursuant to Section 2501.09.2 of this code or who meets the criteria set forth in Section 2501.09.2.4 of this Code may be issued a citation by the fire code official.
2501.09.4.1 Initial penalties. Any responsible person who has received a citation for a violation of this code shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each violation.
2501.09.4.2 Daily penalties. Any responsible person who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued within the period permitted for its correction, may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each day during which such failure or violation continues.
2501.09.4.3 Appropriateness of penalties. Due consideration to the appropriateness of the penalty with respect to the gravity of the violations, the good faith of the person being charged, and the history of previous violations, shall be given whenever a penalty is assessed under this section.
2501.09.4.4 Recovery. Civil penalties imposed by this code shall be paid to the fire code official for deposit into the general fund. Such penalties may be recovered in a civil action in the name of the City of Columbus by Columbus City Attorney.
2501.09.4.5 Assessment. Civil penalties incurred pursuant to this section shall continue to be assessed during the pendency of any administrative appeal and any subsequent court appeals, and shall be subject to collection upon a final judgment on the appeal.
2501.09.5 Issuance of citation, form, contents. If the fire code official finds that an inspection findings report has been issued to a responsible person pursuant to Section 2501.09.2 of this code, and the responsible person has not complied with the order to correct violations within an inspection findings report, or if the fire code official determine that the criteria in Section 2501.09.2.4 of this code exists he may issue a citation to the responsible person.
2501.09.5.1 Code violation. Each citation shall be in writing and shall describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including a reference to the provision of the code violated and the order for correction alleged to have been violated.
2501.09.5.2 Penalty. Each citation shall notify the responsible person of the penalty proposed to be assessed under Section 2501.09.4 of this code.
2501.09.5.3 Appeal rights. Each citation shall notify the responsible person of the responsible person's right to appeal the citation and penalty under Section 2501.09.4 of this code within thirty (30) days of the date upon which the citation was served by the fire code official.
2501.09.5.4 Service. Each citation shall be served as prescribed in Section 2501.09.2.5 of this code.
(Ord. No. 1652-2022, § 1, 10-17-2022)
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=TIT25FIPRCO_CH2501SCAD_2501.09VIFetched: 10/27/2026