CHARTER OF THE CITY OF CLEVELAND
Note: The original City Charter was adopted by the electors at a special election on July 1, 1913, certified to the Secretary of State on July 4, 1913, and effective January 1, 1914. Dates appearing in parentheses after a section heading indicate the effective date of such section either as an amendment, new enactment or repeal.
The inclusion of the Charter of the City of Cleveland in this publication of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Cleveland has suggested the desirability of providing chapter arrangement and titles for the respective sections of the Charter, and accordingly these have been supplied by the editor, although they do not appear in the Charter as adopted and amended by the electors.
Chapter 1 Powers of City
Chapter 3 Nominations and Elections
Chapter 5 The Council
Chapter 7 Initiative and Referendum
Chapter 9 Conflicting Ordinances
Chapter 11 The Executive
Chapter 13 Departments and Divisions
Chapter 15 Department of Law
Chapter 17 Department of Finance
Chapter 19 Department of Public Utilities
Chapter 21 Transit System Operation
Chapter 23 Public Health
Chapter 25 Police and Fire Service
Chapter 27 Civil Service
Chapter 29 Merit System for Transit Employees
Chapter 31 Improvements and Assessments
Chapter 33 Appropriation of Property
Chapter 35 Franchises
Chapter 37 Officers and Employees
Chapter 39 Amendments and Charter Review
Chapter 40
The inhabitants of the City of Cleveland, as its limits now are, or may hereafter be, shall be a body politic and corporate by name the City of Cleveland, and as such shall have perpetual succession; may use a corporate seal; may sue and be sued; may acquire property in fee simple or lesser interest or estate by purchase, gift, devise, appropriation, lease, or lease with privileges to purchase, for any Municipal purpose; may sell, lease, hold, manage, and control such property, and make any and all rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution which may be required to carry out fully all the provisions of any conveyance, deed, or will, in relation to any gift or bequest, or the provisions of any lease by which it may acquire property; may acquire, construct, own, lease and operate and regulate public utilities; may assess, levy, and collect taxes for general and special purposes on all the subjects or objects which the City may lawfully tax; may borrow money on the faith and credit of the City; by the issue or sale of bonds or notes of the City; may appropriate the money of the City for all lawful purposes; may create, provide for, construct, regulate and maintain all things of the nature of public works and improvements; may levy and collect assessments for local improvements; may license and regulate persons, corporations and associations engaged in any business, occupation, profession or trade; may define, prohibit, abate, suppress and prevent all things detrimental to the health, morals, comfort, safety, convenience and welfare of the inhabitants of the City, and all nuisances and causes thereof; may regulate the construction, height, and the material used in all buildings, and the maintenance and occupancy thereof; may regulate and control the use, for whatever purposes, of the streets and other public places; may create, establish, abolish and organize offices and fix the salaries and compensations of all officers and employees; may make and enforce local police, sanitary and other regulations; and may pass such ordinances as may be expedient for maintaining and promoting the peace, good government and welfare of the City, and for the performance of the functions thereof. The City shall have all powers that now are, or hereafter may be granted to municipalities by the Constitution or laws of Ohio; and all such powers whether expressed or implied, shall be exercised and enforced in the manner prescribed by this Charter, or when not prescribed herein, in such manner as shall be provided by ordinance or resolution of the Council.
(Effective January 1, 1914)
The enumeration of particular powers by this Charter shall not be held or deemed to be exclusive but, in addition to the powers enumerated herein, implied thereby or appropriate to the exercise thereof, the City shall have, and may exercise all other powers which, under the Constitution and laws of Ohio, it would be competent for this Charter specifically to enumerate.
(Effective January 1, 1914)