Powell City Council recently adopted new Property Maintenance and Fire Prevention Codes to better align with the most current Ohio municipal standards and address needs and applications specific to Powell. The new codes were adopted at the most recent City Council meeting on October 4, and are effective immediately.
“As the City seeks to streamline the entitlement review process, it is essential to upgrade our development codes as a way to provide predictability to residents, business owners, and those wishing to do business within our community,” stated Assistant City Manager Jeff Tyler. “We want to continue to seek ways to maintain high standards while also being predictable in our approach.”
Powell Fire Prevention Code
In 1997, Powell City Council adopted the 1996 BOCA National Fire Prevention Code. The recently adopted Ordinance 2022-29 amends the Powell Fire Prevention Code to reference the 2017 Ohio Fire Code, incorporating the Liberty Township Ohio Supplement to align the city and township codes for consistency. As provider of fire and EMS services to the City of Powell, the Liberty Township Fire Department may now enforce a consistent standard across both Powell and Liberty Township.
Fireworks
The latest version of the Powell Fire Prevention Code also solidifies regulations surrounding fireworks sales and discharge, taking into consideration the 2021 Amended Substitute House Bill 172 that went into effect on July 1, 2022; communication with various state officials; review and analyzation of legislative testimony; and the actions of neighboring municipalities.
As part of the newly adopted Powell Fire Prevention Code, City Council upheld the prohibition of fireworks sales within the city limits. However, the code was amended to permit residents to discharge fireworks on private property inside the city limits on specific, City-authorized holidays.
Authorized holidays include New Year’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 3-5 (and the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before and after July 4), Labor Day, Diwali, and New Year’s Eve.
Powell Property Maintenance Code
City Council adopted a new Property Maintenance Code modeled after the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) currently utilized by many central Ohio jurisdictions. IPMC is based on a national consensus process, surveying experts across the country on the most current and salient issues communities face in maintaining high quality standards. Additionally, IPMC aligns with Powell’s existing building code and newly adopted fire code, as all are based on international codes.
Changes of note:
Chapter 557 was amended in reference to providing notice to property owners of tall grass and weeds violations. Rather than individual notice per incident, the City will send out a general notice to the community at the beginning of each growing season as a first notice. If grass in an occupied lot grows beyond seven inches tall, the City will send a second and final notice to the property owner who will then have seven days to remedy the violation before the City abates the situation. Additionally, recurring violations on the same property will no longer require individual notice to the owner, and the City can immediately move to remedy the violation.
Regulations regarding the use of dumpsters for residential remodeling or clean-up projects were added. The new language does not apply to the existing standard for commercial dumpsters.
Original source can be found here.
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