ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES

Columbus City Codes tit. 31, ch. 3124

in effect

Columbus City Codes § 3124.01 Definitions.

3124.01 - Definitions. "Commercial area," as used in this chapter, means a densely developed business area outside, as well as within, the central part of a municipality. The area contains land uses which attract a relatively heavy volume of nighttime vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic on a frequent basis. "Fire official" means the fire chief or designee. "Intermediate area," as used in this chapter, means an area characterized by moderately heavy nighttime pedestrian activity such as in blocks having libraries, community recreation centers, large apartment buildings, or neighborhood retail stores. "Level of Service D" means the measurement of a street intersection's capacity at which vehicles experience an average delay of twenty-five and one-tenth (25.1) to forty (40.0) seconds. "Planning standards" means the minimum level of facilities and services, as outlined in this chapter, that will be needed in an area proposed to be served by sewer facilities. "Residential area," as used in this chapter, means residential developments or a mixture of residential and small commercial establishments, areas with single-family homes, town houses, and/or small apartment buildings. "Use group" means the designations as used in the Ohio Basic Building Code. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part); Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.03 Adequate public facilities planning.

3124.03 - Adequate public facilities planning. Prior to city council's approval of any capital improvements program, capital improvements budget, or capital improvements program or budget amendment involving projects which would acquire right-of-way or initiate construction to extend the Big Run trunk, the Big Walnut/Rickenbacker interceptor sewer, the Blacklick trunk or subtrunk, or the Hayden Run subtrunk, the department, in conjunction with community interests and other affected city divisions and departments, shall assemble information and take such action as may be necessary to provide for consideration before city council a report detailing the degree to which the planning standards for the facilities and services outlined in this chapter shall be met as the anticipated development in the area to be served by the new sanitary sewer line is built. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.05 Planning standards for sanitary sewers.

3124.05 - Planning standards for sanitary sewers. The city assumes an average sanitary flow of one hundred thirty (130) gallons per capita per day. To provide for peak flows, this average flow is multiplied by a peaking factor of between three and three-tenths (3.3) and four (4.0), according to flow levels from a given area. The total design flow is determined by adding to the peak design flow an allowance for infiltration and inflow of one thousand nine hundred thirty-nine (1,939) gallons per acre per day. All sanitary sewer systems shall meet the requirements outlined in the division of water reclamation's Sanitary Sewer Design Manual. Any deviation from these requirements shall require approval from the division of water reclamation. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part); Ord. No. 1682-2025, §§ 3, 4, 6-30-2025)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.07 Planning standards for potable water.

3124.07 - Planning standards for potable water. To provide for an adequate supply of drinking water and fire flow, the city provides for an average daily flow of one hundred twenty (120) gallons of potable water per capita per day of total population projected to exist at buildout of development in conjunction with a design flow peaking factor of a one and one-half (1.5) multiplier. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.09 Planning standards for fire flows and hydrants.

3124.09 - Planning standards for fire flows and hydrants. Minimum fire flows and hydrant spacing consistent with the fire division's standards shall be required. The following standards shall apply: A. Fire flow within an industrial development area (Use Groups F and H) shall be a minimum of nine thousand (9,000) gallons per minute over and above the maximum daily requirements. B. Fire flow within a commercial, institutional, or educational development area (Use Groups R-1, A, B, E, I, M, and S) shall be a minimum of six thousand (6,000) gallons per minute over and above the maximum daily requirements. C. Fire flow within a multi-family development area (Use Groups R-2 and R-3) shall be a minimum of two thousand (2,000) gallons per minute over and above the maximum daily requirements. D. Fire flow within a single-family development area (Use Group R-4) shall be a minimum of one thousand (1,000) gallons per minute over and above the maximum daily requirements. E. Required fire flow for industrial, commercial, and institutional development may be reduced fifty (50) percent with the installation of an automatic sprinkler system. F. The fire official shall determine the boundaries of development areas in regard to the determination of required fire flows. G. Where a condition exists with more than one use group, the greater requirement shall be applied. H. Fire flows at or on the exact building site may be determined by using the Insurance Service Office (I.S.O.) Guide, December 1974, if the fire official determines said determination to be in the best interest of the city. I. Fire flow test results submitted to the fire prevention bureau shall be no more than one (1) year old. Regardless of the age of the fire flow test results submitted, the fire official, in the fire official's discretion, may require fire flow tests to be performed. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part); Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.11 Planning standards for stormwater runoff.

3124.11 - Planning standards for stormwater runoff. All stormwater management systems shall meet requirements as provided in the division of water reclamation's Drainage Manual. Any deviations from these requirements shall require the approval from the division of water reclamation. Standards require construction of storm sewers to convey a two (2) year, twenty-four (24) hour storm event within the pipe and a five (5) year, twenty-four (24) hour storm event within the piped system. Development shall restrict the peak flow from a property to a two (2) year, twenty-four (24) hour storm event at a runoff coefficient (rational method) of four-tenths (0.4), or limit the peak flow to the ability of the downstream stormwater system to convey the flow. _____ (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part); Ord. No. 1682-2025, §§ 3, 4, 6-30-2025)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.13 Planning standards for electric services.

3124.13 - Planning standards for electric services. The city's goal is that the lighting system be designed to provide average maintained illumination values (measured in foot candles) on the street pavement according to the levels shown in the following chart: Area Classification Street Classification | Commercial Areas | Intermediate Areas | Residential Areas Major | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 Collector | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.6 Local | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 Alleys | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 _____ (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.15 Planning standards for transportation.

3124.15 - Planning standards for transportation. The goal of the city for the operation of its roadways is that they operate at or above the base engineering design standard, which is identified as Level of Service D. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.17 Planning standards for refuse collection.

3124.17 - Planning standards for refuse collection. It is the goal of the city to allocate one (1) new refuse collection route equivalent to one (1) eight (8) hour shift for every five hundred (500) to six hundred (600) new households expected to be serviced by the city's refuse collection division. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.19 Planning standards for parks and recreation.

3124.19 - Planning standards for parks and recreation. To ensure that adequate and appropriate land is set aside for development of parks, open space, and recreational facilities, it is the goal of the city that: A. Neighborhood parks be provided within one-half (½) mile of all residents and be located on a minimum of five (5) acres, where possible. B. Community parks be provided within two (2) miles of all residents and be located on a minimum of twenty (20) acres, where possible. C. Community recreation centers be provided within two (2) miles of all residents. D. The city accepts a level of service of no less than five and one-half (5.5) acres of parkland per one thousand (1,000) population. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part).)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.21 Planning standards for law enforcement.

3124.21 - Planning standards for law enforcement. To maintain law and order, and to create and sustain a personal sense of safety and security among Columbus residents and businesses, the following goals for law enforcement apply: A. Priority 1 runs, including life-threatening situations such as armed robbery in progress, suicide attempt, officer in trouble, aggravated assault in progress, riot, and sex crime in progress, be dispatched in an average of one and three-tenths (1.3) minutes, and total response time for Priority 1 runs, including dispatch time, average six and three-tenths (6.3) minutes in all areas of the city. B. Priority 2 runs, including suspicious persons, car theft in progress, fights in progress drawing a crowd, property destruction, burglary in progress next door, person with a gun, bomb threat, accidents with injuries, be dispatched in an average of four and six-tenths (4.6) minutes, and total response time for Priority 2 runs, including dispatch time, average eleven and six-tenths (11.6) minutes in all areas of the city. C. Priority 3 runs, including accident with no or slight injuries, domestic dispute with no violence used or threatened, suspicious person in a vehicle, dead on arrival, burglary report, be dispatched to an officer within thirty (30) minutes. The city's goal is that an officer be at the scene of the incident within forty (40) minutes of initial request. Response to Priority 3 incidents depends on staffing and the number of higher priority calls for service pending. D. Priority 4 runs, including found property, parking violations, deliver message, loud music, simple assault report, shoplifting report, be dispatched to an officer within sixty (60) minutes. The city's goal is that an officer be at the scene of the incident within seventy (70) minutes of the initial request. Response to Priority 4 incidents depends on staffing and the number of higher priority calls for service pending. E. Priority 5 runs, including house checks, information calls, meet the officer, be dispatched when the district officer is available. The district officer responds as time permits. If land is to be served by another police agency other than the city after annexation, the above levels of service still apply. Additionally, the city's goal is that services be provided by permanently assigned, full-time crews with staffing levels and training comparable to crews in Columbus. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part); Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 3124.23 Planning standards for fire protection and emergency medical services.

3124.23 - Planning standards for fire protection and emergency medical services. To provide for fire protection and emergency medical service and to create and sustain a personal sense of safety and security among Columbus residents and businesses, the following goals apply: A. Fire response time of less than four (4) minutes in all parts of the city. B. Emergency medical service response time of less than six (6) minutes in all parts of the city. If land is to be served by a fire and emergency medical service provider other than by the city after annexation, the above levels of service apply. Additionally, the city's goal is that services be provided by permanently assigned, full-time crews with staffing levels and training comparable to crews in Columbus. (Ord. 2229-04 § 16 (part).)

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=TIT31PLHIPRCO_CH3124ADPUFAFetched: 10/27/2026