(a) (1) No railroad company shall obstruct or permit or cause to be obstructed a public street, road or highway by permitting a railroad car, locomotive or other obstruction to remain upon or across it for longer than five minutes to the hindrance or inconvenience of travelers or a person passing along or upon such street, road or highway.
(2) At the end of each five minute period of obstruction of a public street, road or highway, each railroad company shall cause such railroad car, locomotive or other obstruction to be removed for sufficient time, not less than three minutes, to allow the passage of persons and vehicles waiting to cross.
(3) This section does not apply to obstruction of a public street, road or highway by a continuously moving through train or caused by circumstances wholly beyond the control of the railroad company, but does apply to other obstructions, including without limitation those caused by stopped trains and trains engaged in switching, loading or unloading operations.
(4) If a railroad car, locomotive, or other obstruction is obstructing a public street, road, or highway in violation of subsection (a)(1) hereof and the violation occurs in the unincorporated area of one or more counties, or in one or more municipal corporations, the officers and employees of each affected county or municipal corporation may charge the railroad company with only one violation of the law arising from the same facts and circumstances and the same act.
(5) Upon the filing of an affidavit or complaint for violation of this subsection (a)(1) hereof, summons shall be issued to the railroad company pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2935.10(B), which summons shall be served on the regular ticket or freight agent of the company in the county where the offense occurred. (ORC 5589.21)
(b) For purposes of this section, "railroad company" includes the officers, employees and agents of such company.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree and shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(d) If there is a response by the Police Department or the Fire Department resulting from a violation of this ordinance, the Railroad Company may be charged a civil fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation by the Safety Director or his or her designee. Said fee will be imposed due to the detriment to public safety caused by the hinderance of Fire, Ambulance and Police vehicles ability to respond to emergency calls in a timely manner.
(e) A grace period of thirty days from the effective date of this Ordinance shall not be included in the charges set forth in this section.
(f) The Finance Director shall, upon notification of the Safety Director, give five (5) days’ notice by certified mail with a return receipt to the owner of such property, at the owner’s last known address, to pay the fees set forth herein. If the same is not paid within 30 days after the mailing of such notice, then the amount shall be determined to be delinquent and shall be entered upon the tax list and tax duplicate and shall be a lien on the property. This section does not preclude or limit any other means of collection as permitted by law.
(Ord. 9889-21. Passed 7-6-21.)