(a) No person owning, having charge of or being in possession of land within this City shall fail to keep such property and adjacent right-of-way between such property and the curb, or edge of street or alley where there is no curb, free and clear from all noxious weeds, as defined by Section 901:5-37-01 of the Ohio Administrative Code, and to also include ragweed, poison ivy, poison oak, and tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica).
(b) No person owning, having charge of or being in possession of land within this City shall fail to keep such property and adjacent right-of-way between such property and the curb, or edge of street or alley where there is no curb, shall allow turf grass (such as, but not limited to bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass blends) and weeds on such property to grow to a height in excess of ten inches.
(c) A managed natural landscape, i.e. a planned, intentional, and maintained planting of native or non-native grasses, wildflowers, ferns, sedges, shrubs or trees, including but not limited to meadow vegetation, and ornamental plants, may be maintained on private property but not in public rights-of-way, to the extent such plantings are not permitted to have a root system that spreads beyond the property boundaries. Any such plantings in a front or side yard must not obstruct sight lines, and pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(d) The Director of Public Safety or designee is hereby granted authority to notify a person who is in violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section to remove or cut such weeds or grass and if such weeds or grass have not been removed or cut within five days of the date of such notice the Director may cause the weeds to be removed and the turf grass cut by personnel. The cost of such maintenance shall be reported to Council and upon Council's approval shall be returned by the Finance Director to the Franklin County Auditor for inclusion upon the tax duplicate for collection, all in accordance with Ohio R.C. 731.51 et seq.
(e) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Each calendar day that a violation of this section is repeated or continued shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ord. 90-16. Passed 4-2-90; Ord. 2024-06. Passed 4-22-24.)