Skip to content
614-583-5000 3600 Tremont Rd

The City Manager’s Office provides the executive leadership for the City, and policy guidance to the Mayor and Council. The City Manager is responsible for the overall management of the City’s departments, the support services necessary to maintain them, and the presentation of the City’s budget.

The Office is comprised of the City Manager, Assistant City Manager and Executive Secretary, as well as the following divisions:

  • Community Affairs – oversees the City’s communications, marketing and community engagement programs (see the Connect section under Services)

  • Human Resources – performs all personnel functions for the City (see Human Resources section)

  • Economic Development – provides a wide range of services to attract new businesses and to help existing business stay and grow in UA (see Economic Development section)

CITY MANAGER DIVISIONS

CONNECT

HUMAN RESOURCES

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

FORM OF GOVERNMENT

The Council/Manager form of government is a system of representative democracy that combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the strong managerial experience of an appointed manager. In this form of government, citizens vote to elect a City Council and that Council then hires a professional City Manager to run the City’s day to day operations and implement any changes in policy that the Council passes. Elected officials and appointed managers must reach out to citizens via community surveys and interaction with residents across the community to ensure that all enacted policies represent the betterment of the community as a whole. Citizen involvement is often widespread in communities that have adopted this form of government through processes such as visioning and community-oriented local services.

City Council

  • Functions as a parliamentary system whereby all power is concentrated within the elected Council with a principal elected official, usually the Mayor, assuming a symbolic, coordinating and activist leadership role.
  • Members of City Council do not perform this function on a full time basis and typically receive little or no compensation for what is considered volunteer service to the community.
  • The number of members on a City Council can range from six to 13 members, depending on the size of the community.
  • Often, some or all members of City Council are elected to represent specific areas – known as wards or districts – within a community.
  • The Mayor is still perceived as the most visible leader for a community under this form of government.
  • The Mayor fulfills two vital functions: Consensus building among members of Council and their representatives, and in guiding the development and implementation of policies.

City Manager

  • The appointed professional manager functions like a business organization’s chief executive – administering the daily operations for the City under the guidance of City Council.
  • The City Manager has a professional staff that, under his/her guidance, provides the services and implements the policies adopted by the elected Council.
  • This appointee is responsible for preparing the community’s budget, directing day-to-day operations, hiring and firing personnel, and provides complete and objective information to Council on issues as they arise.
  • The City Manager is selected by the City Council based on his/her education, training and relevant managerial experience.
  • City Managers serve at the pleasure of the City Council, must respond to citizens, and are dedicated to the highest ideals of honesty and integrity.
ANNUAL COMMUNITY AWARDS PROGRAM

Each year, the City seeks nominations of the many worthy individuals and groups that have helped make our community better in some way, through our annual Community Awards Program, in the categories of:

  • Business
  • Community Enrichment
  • Community Relations
  • Senior
  • Youth

2023 Community Award Winners

See below for information on our 2023 Community Award recipients. Details of past-year State of the City Addresses and Community Awards Program can be found through our Archives Portal – State of the City search.

Business Award

Little Ones Pediatric Dentistry (LOPD) has been an amazing addition to the Upper Arlington community since they opened in 2021. They provide exceptional dental care to children in our community and focus on the whole child. Dr. Nicole and her staff go above and beyond to meet children and families’ needs. They have been so patient, knowledgeable, and understanding with my son and other children that I know with extra needs. They also take time to really educate the parents and children and explain the why behind what they are doing.

Beyond the exceptional care they provide, they have continued to contribute to building a better community in so many ways. They support our children, local causes and find ways to bring the community together. Below is a list of that outlines their involvement:

  • Education – Dr. Nicole and staff have traveled to various schools in our community (Tremont, Wellington) to provide dental education in a fun way to students. They have also donated dental kits that include an educational activity book and toothbrush as a way to teach the importance of dental health at a young age.
  • Community Sponsorship – LOPD has sponsored Fall and Spring school events at Tremont, Barrington, Jones and the UA High School. They have been involved with the Upper Arlington Civic Association by serving as a participant at all events to share education. They have sponsored a number of non-profits with financial contributions and their time including the Beehive Alliance – a local non-profit focused on pediatric mental health, Childhood League, the Callahan Murphy Hare Foundation for pediatric cancer research, and Make a Wish Ohio. Lastly, they have continued to nurture the community through the creation of an annual family event where they welcome all to their office for fun, education, and community.
Community Enrichment Award

The Tri-Village Lions Club motto, “We Serve,” has very much been taken to heart over the last year. Not only have the Lions logged several hundred hours of community service, they have been equally focused on fostering community service by others.

In the fall of 2023, the Tri-Village Lions proposed a program aimed at feeding hungry children in community, providing food for the five-day Thanksgiving break to children in Upper Arlington and Grandview Heights Schools who might not have access to enough food when school was not in session. The proposed initiative blossomed into a community-based coalition dubbed the Tri-Village Packers. More than 1,400 healthy meals and snacks were sent home for the children during that break, including accommodations for special religious or health-related dietary needs. The project was carried out through the contributions and efforts of many segments of our community, with volunteers of all ages assisting with the packing activities. While the Lions brought together all the civic and service organizations that contributed to the effort, they enabled the group’s members to take the lead on specific planning areas to get the job done, making this a truly community effort. Additionally, what was initially proposed as a one-time initiative has blossomed into an ongoing effort to support hungry children in our community.

The Tri-Village Lions does so much more for the community year-round, beyond this new initiative. In 2023 this included: book wrapping projects with Jones Middle School students and UA Senior Center members to provide gifts to families at the YWCA Family Shelter and the Commons on Third; providing Easter baskets for children at the homeless shelter and the Ronald McDonald House; a pancake breakfast in July with proceeds benefitting the Heart-to-Heart Food Pantry; creating pet food packages for the Heart-to-Heart Pantry.

The Tri-Village Lions have demonstrated their commitment to service and to the community throughout the year, both in their efforts and through providing opportunities for service by others.

Community Relations Award

The leadership team and the fundraising team for the Upper Arlington Civic Association took it upon themselves to create a new event orchestrated by the Civic Association for the Upper Arlington community. This was an idea to help bring our community closer together and feel more welcoming, especially for those who are moving here for the first time.

The event was a huge success with 700+ community members and families attending a fun event at the Tremont Center, and a preview of the new Littleton’s Market outdoor space and food. All of this was supported to get off the ground by the help from the Community Relations Innovation Small Grant and an additional grant from the Upper Arlington Community Foundation.

This small group lead the entire UACA team of over 40 volunteers to bring a fun night of celebration while raising awareness of what the Civic Association does for the City of Upper Arlington and Upper Arlington Schools. I hope you will recognize their success and a new tradition (and a resurrection of the old Newcomers Event the Civic Association hosted during the 1930s-1950s) that has been started for Upper Arlington and the Civic Association to bring our community together and celebrate all of our uniqueness and commonalities.

Senior Award

They don’t come much better than Howard. Throughout his lifetime, Howard has been quietly contributing his energies, skills and gentle demeanor to help others.

A barber by trade and former owner of Howard’s Barber Shop on Lane Avenue, Howard has shared his skills and professional knowledge in various ways:

  • He has provided haircuts free-of-charge for orphaned and homeless children at Hannah Neil House;
  • He has helped prison inmates learn the barber trade;
  • He has shaved the heads of women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer at the Over My Head Boutique at the Bing Cancer Center; and
  • He has helped new immigrants to the U.S. become established as successful barbershop business owners.

Howard has regularly fed and supported the homeless at the Open Shelter, and has donated countless hours to the Joint Organization for Inner-City Needs, connecting people with much needed social services.

Never one to turn down an opportunity to serve, Howard is a founding member of the City’s Community Relations Committee, which was formed in the fall of 2020, and he is loved and admired by his fellow Committee members and Staff.

Youth Award

Founded in 1982 by a group of local entrepreneurs as Columbus’ first co-educational, independent school, The Wellington School is dedicated to helping students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow’s world. This work is continually affirmed in our students who display a forward-thinking perspective that embodies the school’s values to be empathetic, ambitious, responsible, authentic, and curious.

That way of thinking about the world is reflected in two upper school (grades 9-12) clubs – the Green Club and the Apiary Club, both of which focus on developing and offering education about sustainable practices that balance the use and protection of natural resources while ensuring that all people can have healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.

The Green Club, advised by Joya Elmore P ’36 ’38, director of environment-based learning, is undertaking various initiatives to help the Wellington community reach zero waste and support a campus ecosystem welcoming to native species. The Club, under the student leadership of Lilly Vance ’25, recently undertook a waste diagnostic study, in partnership with Green Scope

Consulting. During the study, students weighed compost, recycling, trash, and liquid waste materials to help the school better understand the school’s waste output and ensure materials were being properly processed. The Club also partners with a larger, all-school initiative called ReWilding Wellington. Rewilding Wellington, which seeks to ensure our campus serves pollinator species, was initiated by parents Jodi Kushins P ’29 and Joya Elmore P ‘36 ‘38, who serve on Wellington’s Learning Environments Committee. Their combined efforts have led to the removal of invasive honeysuckle on Wellington’s campus, making room for native plants. Their current projects reflect the long-term work they have done in assisting with the school’s gardening, outdoor education, and composting programs.

The Apiary Club, advised by Trent Neely P ’30, upper school science, and led by students Katherine Armitage ’25 and Sigal Judd ’25, splits its time, spending half its time educating Wellington’s 700 students ages three-18 about bees, pollination, and native species and half its time attending to the hives. The Club also started its own honey business, Wellington Honey Co., which sells honey to Wellington community members. In supporting the wellbeing of local bees, their efforts have expanded to recruiting upper school students and faculty to remove invasive species and plant bee-friendly trees and plants on campus.

While much of the Green and Apiary Clubs’ work is on campus, Wellington sits within the Upper Arlington community. The work they do at 3650 Reed Road to create less waste, provide a pollinator-friendly area, and remove invasive species betters the environment in which we all work, live, and go to school. Both groups are a testament to Wellington’s commitment to sustainability, and their generation’s desire to protect and conserve our natural environment. They continually work to educate one another, and the adults in their lives, to build a better, more sustainable future. Their ambassadorship, determination, and growing expertise are inspirational and worthy of celebration.

CITY MANAGER - STEVEN R. SCHOENY
Steve Shoeny

Steven R. Schoeny joined the City of Upper Arlington as City Manager on September 30, 2019.

A 13-year resident of Upper Arlington, Steve previously served as the Director of the City of Columbus’ Department of Development since the summer of 2013. During his tenure, the department implemented new planning principles that provide a consistent framework throughout the city, in collaboration with neighborhood leaders. He has spearheaded numerous economic development efforts that resulted in a net gain of more than one million square feet of Class A office space in Columbus. He led Columbus’ participation in the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s (MORPC) Corridor Concepts project, collaborating with eight regional municipalities around a shared vision of mobility. Steve also oversaw the creation of a proactive code enforcement system for the department, as well as a restructuring of various housing incentive programs to encourage mixed-income neighborhoods.

Prior to his role at Columbus, Steve led the economic development consulting practice for Ice Miller Whiteboard, providing strategic planning services to various municipalities and performing site selection, incentives negotiation and analysis for projects that included corporate headquarters, manufacturing sites and data centers. He also served as Director for the State of Ohio’s Strategic Business Investment Division, overseeing statewide economic development efforts including project and incentive negotiations, monitoring agreement compliance and business retention.

Steve has a Master of Public Management from the University of Maryland, School of Public Affairs, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Economics from Ohio University. He is an Ohio University Voinovich School Distinguished Alumni recipient, a Columbus Business First Power 100 recipient, and a Rose Fellow from the National League of Cities/Urban Land Institute Daniel Rose Center. His community involvement includes: Board Member and Treasurer for CelebrateOne, Board Member for the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation, and Board Member for Partners Achieving Community Transformation. He is actively involved in various Upper Arlington youth sports programs, including the Golden Bear Basketball Club, Kiwanis Soccer and Bear Cub Baseball.

APPLICATIONS & PERMITS

In an effort to protect the health and safety of residents and the representatives going door-to-door, all entities that seek a Solicitation Permit from the City are being notified that their representatives are required by the executive order to wear face masks and to follow appropriate social distancing measures.

The City has guidelines and requirements for groups or individuals wishing to go door-to-door in the community for the purposes of selling items or services, or canvassing residents. This includes securing a peddling/solicitation permit (canvassers do not require a permit).

Residents are advised to ask to see a copy of the Peddling/Solicitation Permit from the City or can check the list of current permit holders below. If proof cannot be provided and you don’t see them on the list, please contact the Police Division to report this activity, at 614-459-2800 so that an officer can be dispatched to the area.

CURRENT PERMIT HOLDERS

Permit HolderValid UntilType / Description
Scout Troops 417 & 7417November 3, 2024Popcorn Fundraiser
Good Looking Out Premium Home ServicesNovember 11, 2024Residential Exterior Cleaning & Holiday Lighting
Lifetime Quality RoofingDecember 9, 2024Roofing
Last UpdatedOctober 7, 2024

PERMIT PROCESS

  1. Is a Peddling/Solicitation Permit required?
    • Any organization that is going door-to-door at private residences within the City of Upper Arlington in order to sell a good or service or solicit donations of any kind or size is required to obtain a Peddling/Solicitation Permit. Only one Permit is required per organization.
    • Canvassers who are going door-to-door with the sole purpose of distributing information are not required to obtain a Peddling/Solicitation Permit. If an organization does not obtain a Permit they are not allowed to solicit for donations at any time.
    • The permit does not provide permission to solicit where notice of No Solicitation or No Trespass has been provided by the property owner. This also applies to canvassing organizations not required to receive a permit.
  2. Application fee
    • There is a $50.00 application fee for a Peddling/Solicitation Permit. This must only be paid once per organization.
    • The application fee is waived for charitable, non-profit, or religious solicitation, with proof of non-profit status pursuant to Internal Revenue Code §501(C)(3).
    • If you are completing the application online via Viewpoint Cloud, this fee must be submitted in person at the time of the background check.
  3. Background check fees
    1. Background checks are required for any organization selling goods or services or soliciting donations of any kind.
    2. Every individual who will be going door-to-door must complete a background check.
    3. There is a background check fee for each individual who needs a background check. This fee is not waived for charitable, non-profit, or religious organizations that are soliciting donations or money for membership. This fee will need to be paid in person at the time of the background check. Amount of fee is dependent on residency.
  4. Documentation required
    1. Proof of non-profit status for fee waiver, if applicable.
    2. Copy of current, valid driver’s license and other current, valid, government-issued identification that includes your picture.
    3. Completed Application for Peddling/Solicitation Permit with accurate information and signature.
  5. Application procedures
    1. Submit an application online
      • Attach proof of non-profit status, if applicable. $50 fee must be paid at time of application.
    2. All individuals who will be going door-to-door must come in person to complete a background check. Each will be required to pay a background check fee with the submission of a background check application.
      • Application must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the commencement of business.
      • Permit expires 60 days after date of issuance.
  6. Municipal Code Sections
    1. Chapter 767 – Peddlers, Solicitors and Canvassers

Tips for Residents

  • If someone comes to your home and attempts to sell a good or service, or to solicit donations, you can ask to see a copy of their Solicitation Permit from the City. If proof cannot be provided and you don’t see them on the above list of Current Permit Holders, please report this activity to our Police Division non-emergency number, at 614-459-2800.
  • If you have a “No Solicitors/Peddlers” sticker on your door and an individual or group ignores it, please call our Police Division non-emergency number, at 614-459-2800.

No Solicitation Stickers
The City has made available free-of-charge two versions of a decal for use by residents. One states “No Solicitors/Peddlers” and is designed to dissuade individuals or entities wishing to sell a product or service. The second states “No Canvassers/Trespassers/Solicitors/Peddlers” and is designed to dissuade all such door-to-door activities. The decals can be obtained from the City Manager’s Office or the Police Division.

Demonstrations at the Municipal Services Center

The City encourages community gatherings, demonstrations and discussions. We also recognize that the plaza at the Municipal Services Center (MSC) is a prominent, centrally located public facility that is well suited to such gatherings.

We welcome these activities at our facility. We have developed some best practices for groups wishing to gather so that we can provide a safe environment and allow the regular services and operations housed at the MSC – including important safety services – to continue without interruption.

  • Although not required, we ask that you notify the City at least 24 hours in advance of a planned assembly:
    1. Contact us at: Phone: 614-459-2800 | Email: [email protected]
    2. Provide some details about the activities planned and how many people are expected to participate.

To assist us in ensuring a safe gathering, we encourage you to share the following information with attendees in advance:

  • Building entrances and parking lots must be accessible for other visitors and our staff at all times.
  • Follow regular parking regulations both on and off City property.
  • Do not mark any surfaces.
  • Please do not litter. Trash and recycling receptacles are available or take items with you when you leave.
  • Once your gathering ends, take all signs and items with you. If you do not, be advised that they will be removed and destroyed within 24 hours.

Based on information provided in advance about your gathering, be advised that our Public Service Department may assign staff to provide traffic control equipment, and our Police Division may choose to assign one or more officers to assist with traffic and other relevant safety issues. In either case, a City representative will notify the organizers of any plans.

Once your activity has concluded, if you have any comments or suggestions for us or you wish to schedule a follow up discussion, please contact us at [email protected]. We appreciate your understanding and thank you in advance for working with us.

Activity/Event permits can be obtained in the City Manager’s Office. This permit is used for hosting a race/run on the streets of Upper Arlington. Contact the City Manager’s Office to confirm race date is available using the form below. Please apply at least 90 days prior to the event. There is a $100 application fee.

Special Event Applications/Permits
The City has an application and permitting process in place for special events that require the use of City property and/or City logistical and planning support (please note, this permit does not apply for facility rentals that are contained to a specific rented location, such as a Municipal Services Center meeting room, or a park shelter). This includes quarterly submission deadlines in advance of a planned event so that Staff have ample time to review all requests and manage its finite supply of equipment and staffing while balancing its support of longstanding community events with new and unique event proposals.

2024 Event Planning Schedule

For Events HeldApplication DeadlineMeeting Review Date
January 1 – March 31, 2024October 17, 2023November 1, 2023
April 1 – June 30January 17, 2024February 2, 2024
July 1 – September 30April 17, 2024May 1, 2024
October 1 – December 31July 18, 2024August 2, 2024
January 1 – March 31, 2025October 18, 2024November 6, 2024
Rev 10/23

A Block Party Application & Petition Form may be filed for any day of the year. It should be filed with the City at least 10 days prior to the date of the block party. A $50.00 non-refundable fee is required for the issuance of a Block Party Permit, to cover the costs of application processing and advance drop-off and pick-up of the necessary barricades. And a Block Petition Signature form is required prior to soliciting concurrence from the appropriate residents on the street in question.

Street Solicitation permits can be obtained in the City Manager’s Office.  C.O. 771 states that NOT LESS THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS RAISED AS A RESULT OF THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE USED FOR THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE REPRESENTED. For more information, permit application and a listing of permitted intersections approved to solicit, please use the Contact Form below.  No fee for this permit.

The City’s Outdoor Entertainment Permit must be secured by residents wishing to hire “outdoor entertainment,” such as DJs or musical performers for an event at their home. Once completed and approved, this permit allows your event to generate up to 80 decibels of noise at the property line, for events running no later than 10 pm Sunday-Thursday, and 11 pm Friday & Saturday, as well as on Federal holidays and the day prior to each holiday.

To complete the application process, you must secure written permission from more than 50% of the residences within 400 feet of your property. Once you have obtained the necessary number of signatures, bring the application form to the City Manager’s Office (at 3600 Tremont Road). Your application will be reviewed to determine if you have met the 50% threshold within three business days of receipt. If approved, you will be required to pay a $50 permit fee to receive your completed permit, which will clearly state the hours and decibel level allowed for your event.

Failure to obtain a permit, violation of the approved noise level, or falsification of any element of the application is subject to a fine of $200.

If you plan to have an event but do not intend to hire outdoor entertainment, you must abide by the City’s Noise Ordinance (517.14). As such, your event cannot make “unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises of such a character, intensity and duration as to disturb the peace and quiet of the community…”  The City considers noise above 60 decibels 100 feet from the property line to be in violation of City Code if you do not have an Outdoor Entertainment Permit.

Even if you aren’t planning to hire outdoor entertainment, you may choose to apply for an Outdoor Entertainment Permit and complete the above-listed process, to allow your event to generate noise higher than the normally acceptable levels. There is no charge for an Outdoor Entertainment Permit without paid entertainment.

CLICK HERE to access the online Outdoor Entertainment Permit application. A list of the properties within 400 feet of your property line will be provided during the application process.

ROOM RENTALS AT MSC
Council Chamber
Council Chamber

Council Chamber

Council Chambers

Council Chambers

Council Committee Room

Council Committee Room

Lower Level Meeting Room 2

Lower Level Meeting Room 2

Lower Level Meeting Room

Lower Level Meeting Room

Concourse Gallery

Concourse Gallery

Council ChamberCouncil ChambersCouncil Committee RoomLower Level Meeting Room 2Lower Level Meeting RoomConcourse Gallery

The City of Upper Arlington has five meeting spaces available for rental at the Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road, subject to availability. Reservations may be made up to 18 months in advance, with additional policies and regulations outlined on our Facility Rental Page. Reservation fees are non-refundable (unless your reservation is cancelled by the City) and City events take priority.

Contact the City Manager’s Office for availability using the form below.

CONTACT CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE

    The City’s website is designed to provide 24/7 access to useful information about City departments, services, public meetings, special projects, events, legislation and more. If you are unable to find what you are looking for on this page or in our FAQ section, please complete the webform below. It will be directed straight to staff in the department listed above.

    The City also offers a convenient means for residents to report issues such as potholes, broken streetlights, property maintenance issues and parks damage through our UA Click2Fix smartphone app, available from AppleApp or GooglePlay.

    PLEASE NOTE: This is not an emergency reporting system. Requests are addressed during regular work hours of 8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday. If you need to report an emergency situation, please call 9-1-1.

    I am interested in: (check all that apply - required)
    Solicitation PermitStreet Solicitation PermitBlock Party PermitActivity-Event PermitRoom RentalContacting the City ManagerOther (Describe Below)


    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
    Privacy Policy and
    Terms of Service apply.

    Back To Top