Land Stewardship Program.
Columbus City Codes § 1117.05
in effect1117.05 - Land Stewardship Program.
(A) Designation of Land Stewardship Property.
1) The Director shall designate areas of the Reservoirs as eligible for participation in the Land Stewardship Program by a Contiguous Landowner.
2) Changes to the Land Stewardship Program or eligible areas of Land Stewardship Property shall be jointly reviewed and approved by the Recreation and Parks Department and Columbus Water & Power.
3) Any Land Stewardship Property that does not have an associated valid Land Stewardship License Agreement shall not be managed, maintained, or altered in any way, per CCC 1117.05(D), by a Contiguous Landowner without prior written permission from the Director.
4) A valid Land Stewardship License Agreement shall be required prior to any Permit issuance including, but not limited to, a Private Dock Permit, Private Stake Permit, Steps Permit, Stairs Permit, Paddlecraft Storage Permit, or Boardwalk Permit.
5) The terms of the Land Stewardship License Agreement shall designate all permissible uses, activities, and improvements on Land Stewardship Property. Any use, activity, or improvement that is not specifically authorized by the terms of the Land Stewardship License Agreement is prohibited, including but not limited to, alteration, cutting, mowing, trimming, gathering, collecting or taking possession of any grass, vegetation, flowers, trees or parts thereof, or other naturally occurring materials, the use of any chemical, including but not limited to, pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides, physical harm to any natural formations, mineral deposits, historical or archeological features; construction or creation of any structures trails, paths, roads, or landscape features; alteration of any natural habitat or terrain including the deposition of waste or fill; removal, replacement, creation, or enhancement of any shore-bound or Reservoir habitats; planting or cultivation of seeds or vegetation, or any act that will pollute or otherwise harm the Reservoirs.
(B) Licenses and Permits.
1) The Director may enter into License Agreements and issue Permits as provided by this chapter and by rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. Such License Agreements and Permits shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, a Land Stewardship License Agreement, Private Dock Permit, Private Stake Permit, Steps Permit, Stairs Permit, Paddlecraft Storage Permit, or Boardwalk Permit.
(a) The Director may adopt rules and regulations to establish and collect Permit fees as the Director determines necessary for the purposes of this chapter.
(b) The Director may adopt rules and regulations to establish Land Stewardship License Agreement and Permit liability insurance requirements as the Director determines necessary for the purposes of this chapter.
2) The Director retains the unilateral right to decline to enter into Land Stewardship License Agreements and to decline to issue Permits.
3) The Director has the unilateral right to temporarily or permanently suspend, terminate, or revoke any Land Stewardship License Agreement or Permit issued under this chapter upon providing a thirty (30) day notification.
4) A violation of any term of a Land Stewardship License Agreement or Permit may result in the immediate suspension, termination, or revocation of the Land Stewardship License Agreement or Permit, as applicable.
(C) Permitting of Private Docks, Private Stakes, Steps, Stairs, Paddlecraft Storage, or Boardwalks.
1) Permits shall be issued on a form prepared by Columbus Water & Power for that purpose. Permits shall be non-transferable by assignment, loan, sublease, or other means.
(a) Permits may issue to allow for the following improvements: Private Docks, Private Stakes, Steps, Stairs, Paddlecraft Storage, or Boardwalks. The permitted improvements are to be privately constructed and maintained by the permittee, and they may extend over or on the Land Stewardship Property and/or Reservoir, whether extending from the Contiguous Property or the Land Stewardship Property.
(b) Effective January 1, 2022, new Private Stakes Permits will not be issued. However, Permits for Private Stakes may be renewed by eligible Contiguous Landowners where the Contiguous Property ownership has not changed hands.
2) Any Permit granted hereunder shall be for the sole benefit of the permittee and the permittee's guests. A Permit will only be issued to the Contiguous Landowner whose name(s) appears on the property deed of the Contiguous Property. Land Stewardship License Agreements and Permits will automatically terminate upon a transfer of the licensee or permittee's title ownership of the Contiguous Property.
3) Permits shall be signed by the owner(s) of the Contiguous Property. Individuals signing on behalf of a business, company, association, or corporate entity must provide satisfactory proof of authority to sign as an agent of the business, association, company, or corporate entity.
4) The permittee shall, on behalf of the permittee and on behalf of permittee's guests, agree to abide by all applicable local, state, and federal rules, laws, and regulations relative to the permittee's or guest's conduct, their use and operation of any Vessel, use of all Reservoirs, adjacent parklands, Land Stewardship Property, and approved improvements. Furthermore, the permittee shall agree to assume the defense of and to indemnify and save harmless the City from any and all claims, suits, loss or damage or injury to person(s) or property of any kind or nature whatsoever arising in the use or operation of any Vessel, Private Dock, Private Stake, Steps, Stairs, Paddlecraft Storage, or Boardwalk.
5) Permits issued for a Private Dock, Private Stake, or Paddlecraft Storage shall be valid for a one (1) calendar year period. These Permits must be renewed within ninety (90) days from expiration of the current Permit.
6) Permits issued for Steps, Stairs, or Boardwalks shall be valid for a five (5) calendar year period. These Permits must be renewed within ninety (90) days from expiration of the current Permit.
7) Requests to install, replace, repair, or make alterations to Private Docks, Private Stakes, Steps, Stairs, Paddlecraft Storage, or Boardwalks must be submitted to the Watershed Management Section on a form prepared by Columbus Water & Power for that purpose. All such improvements must comply with applicable local, state, and federal rules, laws, and regulations. When in conflict, whichever code is more restrictive takes precedence. The Director must approve any proposed work in writing prior to commencement of activities.
8) Private Docks, Private Stakes, Steps, Stairs, Paddlecraft Storage, or Boardwalks authorized prior to January 1, 2022 that are not in conformance with current Land Stewardship Design Standards are subject to inspection and may be required to be modified prior to being issued a Permit or renewal Permit.
9) Upon cancellation, termination, or expiration of the Land Stewardship License Agreement or applicable permit not related to a change in ownership, all Private Docks, Private Stakes, Steps, Stairs, Paddlecraft Storage, Boardwalks, improvements, utilities, or any other private structures or property shall be removed by the Contiguous Landowner originally granted permission to make the improvements, at their expense. Where a change in ownership results in the termination of a Land Stewardship License Agreement and Permits, improvements may be left in place if they comply with the then-current Land Stewardship Design Standards and if the new Contiguous Landowner obtains a Land Stewardship License Agreement and any Permit that may be required.
10) Any and all Encroachment-related issues must be fully resolved to the satisfaction of the City before a Land Stewardship License Agreement may be obtained and before any permission, License, or Permit may be granted.
11) In addition to all other applicable Permit requirements, unless otherwise provided herein, no Vessel(s) or Paddlecraft other than those designated on the Permit shall be tied or stored at the designated Private Dock, Private Stake, or Paddlecraft storage area. The permittee of a Private Dock, Private Stake, or Paddlecraft Storage Permit must prove ownership of a Vessel or Paddlecraft that bears a Hull Identification Number (HIN) recognized by the United States Coast Guard by presenting to Columbus Water & Power the current state of Ohio registration certificate or a copy thereof for the Vessel(s) to be tied or stored at the Private Dock, Private Stake or Paddlecraft Storage area.
(a) The Director may approve temporary docking or storage privileges for Private Dock, Private Stake, or Paddlecraft Storage permittees, not to exceed thirty (30) days in a boating season.
(b) The Director may consider applicants using leased Vessel(s) or Paddlecraft for Private Docks, Private Stakes, or Paddlecraft Storage with proper proof of the lease agreement, current registration and ownership of the leased Vessel(s) or Paddlecraft.
(c) Additional Vessel(s) or Paddlecraft registered to the same permittee may be considered.
(D) Authorization to Install or Maintain Overland Paths, Filtered View Corridors, Stream or Wetland Crossings, or Vegetation Management.
1) Overland Paths, Filtered View Corridors, Stream or Wetland Crossings, or Vegetation Management may be authorized as provided for in a valid Land Stewardship License Agreement.
(E) Abandonment and Removal. Private Docks, Private Stakes, Steps, Stairs, Paddlecraft Storage, Boardwalks, or any other improvements, utilities, or any other private structures or property on Land Stewardship Property without the valid Land Stewardship License Agreement or Permit will be considered abandoned by the owner and is subject to immediate removal from Land Stewardship Property.
(Ord. No. 2142-2021, § 1, 12-13-2021; 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_CH1117WAPR_1117.05LASTPRFetched: 10/27/2026