(a) No owner or tenant shall occupy a building or tenant space, or alter or enlarge the use in any building or tenant space, without obtaining a certificate of compliance from the Building Commissioner. This requirement shall apply to the owner or tenant of office buildings, retail stores, warehouses, vehicle service buildings, recreation buildings, restaurants, night clubs, churches, day care centers, factories, hospitals, apartment buildings, nursing homes, hotels, theaters, libraries, schools and any other uses, including, but not limited to, all building uses permitted by this Zoning Code, other than one, two and three-family dwellings. It shall not apply to individual tenants of multifamily dwellings.
(b) The owner or tenant shall pay the fees as prescribed in Chapter 185 of the Administrative Code when submitting an application for a certificate of compliance to the Building Commissioner. The application shall list all uses and activities proposed for the building or tenant space. The applicant may be required to submit additional documentation relating to operations and activities that may generate noise, dust, fumes, rubbish, traffic, fire hazard or any other item of such nature as to potentially become a nuisance to the public or adjoining property owners or tenants. The Building Commissioner shall not issue a certificate of compliance until such time as it is determined that such proposed use conforms to the requirements of this Zoning Code. The Building Commissioner may attach conditions to the certificate of compliance to protect the public health, safety and welfare. Such conditions may explain or interpret the provisions of this Zoning Code as it relates to a particular use or activity.
(c) The certificate of compliance is separate from the certificate of use and occupancy required by the Ohio Basic Building Code. It is not transferrable or assignable from the person to whom it was issued except as ordered by a court of law. Any sale, lease, transfer or assignment of the building or tenant space shall cause the certificate of compliance to become void, and the new owner, tenant, transferee or assignee shall obtain a new certificate of compliance. Where there is no change in operations and activities due to the sale or transfer of a business, the new owner or operator shall obtain a new certificate of compliance within sixty days of such sale or transfer.
(d) The Building Commissioner may issue a stop work order or a stop use order for any work, use, operation or other activity not in compliance with this Zoning Code.
(Ord. 278-99. Passed 11-3-99.)