(a) Effective January 1, 2023, every owner, or agent-in-charge, of more than five single-family residential dwelling units either rented or held out for rent within the City, shall register all such units on a rental registration form with the City Manager or his/her designee, no later than March 31 of each calendar year for a non-refundable rental registration fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per unit. If the owner or agent in charge acquires additional single-family residential dwelling units during the calendar year and holds them out for rent then, within thirty days after the date of acquiring ownership or transfer of the title, the owner or agent in charge shall file an updated rental registration with the City Manager or his/her designee for a non-refundable fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00). The form to be used by the owner or agent in charge to register each unit shall be contained in a rental registration packet available through the City that shall be administratively created by the City Manager or his/her designee. A separate rental registration packet shall be required for each owner or agent in charge.
(b) The rental registration packet shall contain all necessary forms and information required by the City including rental registration forms for the owner or agent in charge to register each single-family residential dwelling unit, proof of full payment of property taxes for such units or documentation of being on a county payment plan in good standing, and tenant forms, including a tenant information form for each of the owner's or agent in charge's rental units listed on the rental registration form and a completed City of Pickerington form for both the owner and each of its tenants. The rental registration packet forms, including the tenant forms, must be completed and returned to the City by March 31 of each calendar year.
(c) Upon return of the rental registration forms for the owner or agent in charge to register all single-family residential dwelling units for rent, the rental registration fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) set forth in subsection (a) hereof shall be required to be paid by the owner or agent in charge.
(d) Effective January 1, 2023, upon return of the tenant forms, including a tenant information form for each of the owner's or agent in charge's single-family residential dwelling units listed on the rental registration form and a completed City of Pickerington form for both the owner and its tenants, a tenant rental license fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per rental unit shall be required to be paid by the owner or agent in charge for each unit owned. The tenant rental license fee shall not be required to be paid again by the owner or agent in charge until there is a change of tenant in a unit. If there is a change in tenant of a single-family residential dwelling unit after the owner or agent in charge has submitted its annual rental registration form, then the owner or agent in charge must file an updated rental registration packet with the City and pay an additional tenant license fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).
(e) Upon payment of the tenant rental license fee the City Manager or his/her designee shall request permission to conduct a general inspection of the single-family residential dwelling unit, the costs of which are included in the tenant license fee. The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that each unit is safe, healthy, and habitable and in compliance with city, county, and state health, safety, building and maintenance laws, rules, and regulations. The inspection will be performed by the City of Pickerington, or its designee. Within thirty days after the inspection, if the unit does not pass the inspection, the City Manager or his/her designee shall provide to the owner or agent in charge by regular mail, a list of the violations that do not comply with the health, safety, building, and maintenance codes. The owner may deny the City permission to conduct the inspection and the City may pursue an administrative warrant for a search of the property upon good cause shown.
(f) A rental registration and tenant rental license fee are not assignable or transferable, and shall be reapplied for with each change in ownership or transfer of title, and upon a change of tenant(s) in the rental unit as set forth in subsection (e) hereof.
(Ord. 2022-15. Passed 9-6-22.)