The Property Maintenance (Code Compliance) Division works with residents, businesses and contractors to ensure Upper Arlington properties are properly maintained and cared for, with the goal of preserving the community’s outstanding physical assets. The division responds to complaints filed relative to code violations of the Unified Development Ordinance, the Property Maintenance Code, and portions of the General Offenses Code, Streets and Services Code, and Building Code.
Property maintenance violations are primarily complaint driven, however the Code Compliance Officer will often observe additional violations during neighborhood patrols. The City strives to work with property owners to ensure voluntary compliance is achieved.
Commons violations include:
- High grass and weeds
- Flaking paint on buildings
- Illegal temporary signage
- Excess lighting
- Trash and debris
- Noise
Once a complaint has been received, a case file is opened and an officer conducts an inspection of the alleged violation. If a violation is found to exist, a written Notice of Violation is sent to the owner of the subject property. The notice outlines the specific violation(s), the applicable codes prohibiting such activity, and any corrective measures necessary for compliance.
A timeframe for compliance is established, indicating when a re-inspection will take place. An officer may issue a deadline extension if:
- Substantial progress has been made toward compliance;
- Weather conditions make it difficult to correct the violation; or
- Mitigating circumstances exist that warrant a deadline extension.
Most code violations are brought into compliance quickly. However, there are some instances where violations are not resolved in a timely manner and are therefore subject to penalties. In most cases, violations are subject to a maximum $150 per offense per day. A few violations are classified as fourth degree misdemeanors and are subject to a maximum of $250 and/or a maximum 30 days in jail/offense.
To file a Property Maintenance complaint, you must know the street address of the property in question. The Property Maintenance Division will make every effort to bring code violations into compliance.
Anonymous complaints may be submitted via Viewpoint Cloud, where you will have to make an account in order to submit a request. You can also upload pictures and keep track of the complaint.
The City also offers a convenient means for residents to report issues such as potholes and broken streetlights through our UA Click2Fix smartphone app. Once you have downloaded the app, you can quickly and easily report problems from your smartphone, including sending photographs, and letting the apps geolocation tool pinpoint where the issue is as you send in your report. To get the UA Click2Fix app, click the AppleApp or GooglePlay to download.
Please feel free to contact the City’s Code Compliance Officer if you have any questions or would like to file a property maintenance complaint.
The purpose of this program is to remove illegally displayed temporary signage. Per Unified Development Ordinance Article 6.06 (F)(3), the Code Compliance Officer will remove all signs place on public property or in the City right-of-way. The sign owner—if known—will be notified in writing that the sign was removed and where it can be reclaimed. If the owner fails to respond within 15 days, the sign will be disposed of.
The Property Maintenance Division confiscates the following types of signs: business advertisement, contractor, garage sale, lost pet, political, for sale and other various illegally displayed signs.
The proper care and maintenance of property and landscaping benefits the entire community. Per Property Maintenance Code (PMC) 302.4, grass must not exceed 10 inches in height and properties should be kept free of noxious weeds such as thistle, burdock, jimson, ragweed, poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. The planting of wood or herbaceous plants (except groundcovers or mowed lawn) is not permitted in the public street right-of-way, unless a permit has been secured from the Parks & Forestry Division.
Failure to comply with these guidelines could result in the property owner/resident receiving a notice from the City to rectify the situation within five days of receipt of said notice. After five days, the City will make arrangements to cut the grass/weeds at the owner’s expense. The property owner/resident is responsible for maintaining the lawn/grass and eliminating the noxious weeds throughout the year (only one written notification will be sent to the property owner/resident during each calendar year).
Property Maintenance Code (PMC) 307.1 requires all exterior property and premises, and the interior of every structure, to be free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage. Property Maintenance Code (PMC) 307.3 requires every occupant of a structure to dispose of garbage in a clean and sanitary manner by placing such garbage in approved garbage containers.
Upon receipt of a complaint, Property Maintenance verifies the violation and then issues a written notice to the property owner and/or resident. A seven-day period is provided for correction. In instances of non-compliance, the division will issue a “Work Order” authorizing the City’s solid waste contractor to abate the rubbish, garbage and/or improperly stored items from the property. Abatement costs are assessed to the property taxes as a lien.
- Building Code – Chapter 13 of City’s Codified Ordinances
- General Offenses Code
- Good Neighbor Guidelines
- Ohio Board of Building Standards – Commercial
- Ohio Residential Building Code
- Property Maintenance Code
- Report a Violation
- Streets & Services Code
- Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)
- Wildlife Guidelines