(a) Application for a Certificate of Occupancy, as required by the provisions of this Chapter, shall be made no later than December 31 of the year immediately prior to the year for which the application is made by supplying necessary information regarding the existing use and occupancy of the rental unit on forms supplied by the Director of Building and Housing. Such information shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
(1) The name, residence or business address and telephone number of the owner of the property;
(2) The name, address and telephone number of the resident agent of the property if one is required by Section 1409.03(b);
(3) The name, address and telephone number of the building superintendent, janitor or caretaker, or such other person responsible for maintenance of the building and grounds;
(4) The address of the property and the number of rental units contained within the property;
(5) Whenever an address is required herein, a post office box number may not be provided as the sole address;
(6) The names of those persons living in each rental unit;
(7) If any owner of the property is a business entity, domestic or foreign, using a name other than an individual's own personal name, the applicant must provide proof that such owner is registered with the Ohio Secretary of State; and
(8) Such other information as may be requested or provided on a voluntary basis, including but not limited to social security numbers to be used for tax purposes.
(b) An application is considered complete only when all information required on the form is accurately, legibly and fully provided and when the fee is paid.
(c) If there are no habitable rental units in a multiple-dwelling structure, then the owner or operator shall apply for an Exemption from the Certificate of Occupancy requirement, no later than December 31 of the year immediately prior to the year for which the application for Exemption is made, on a form provided by the Director of Building and Housing.
(d) Every application for a Certificate of Occupancy shall be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of forty-five dollars ($45.00) per rental unit. There shall be no charge for an application for an Exemption timely filed. The fee for reinstatement of a Certificate of Occupancy after it has been revoked shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00), in addition to the appropriate application fee as set forth in this Section.
(e) The fee for an application for either a Certificate of Occupancy or an Exemption from the Certificate of Occupancy requirement submitted after March 1 of the year for which the application is made shall be sixty dollars ($60.00) per rental unit. An application is considered submitted only when it is complete and no cause exists to deny the application, as defined in this Section. The fee for an application that was denied and is re-submitted after March 1 shall be sixty dollars ($60.00) per rental unit. If no application for a Certificate or Exemption is submitted when required by this Chapter by the end of the calendar year for which the Certificate or Exemption is required, the Director shall charge the owner or operator sixty dollars ($60.00) per rental unit.
(f) If the owner or operator fails to pay the fee for a Certificate or an Exemption within the calendar year for which the Certificate or Exemption is required to be obtained, the Director of Building and Housing shall report the delinquency to the Director of Finance, who shall report the same to Council, which may thereupon assess the cost, together with the expense of assessing and collecting the same, upon the property for which the Certificate or Exemption is required, and cause the assessment to be certified to the County Auditor for collection.
(g) The owner, agent or person in charge of every multiple-dwelling structure shall cause a Certificate of Occupancy to be posted conspicuously at all times at the main entrance of such structure. The Certificate shall be provided with a protective covering and shall be securely affixed to the wall.
(h) The Director of Building and Housing may deny an application for a Certificate of Occupancy or revoke a Certificate of Occupancy if any false statement is made by the applicant in connection with the issuance of such Certificate, if the owner, agent or person in charge of a structure fails to comply with any applicable provisions of the Housing, Fire, Health, Zoning, or Building Codes, or if any of the following are found as to the property:
(1) For any property subject to this Chapter there have been three or more criminal activities, as defined in Section 109.01 of the Codified Ordinances, related to the same dwelling unit during the previous twelve months;
(2) For any property subject to this Chapter with fewer than forty dwelling units there have been five or more criminal activities, as defined in Section 109.01 of the Codified Ordinances, related to any combination of dwelling units during the previous twelve months; and/or
(3) For any property subject to this Section with forty or more dwelling units there have been seven or more criminal activities, as defined in Section 109.01 of the Codified Ordinance, related to any combination of dwelling units during the previous twelve months.
(i) The City shall reinstate a Certificate of Occupancy that has been revoked when the owner has done all of the following:
(1) Submitted a new application for a Certificate as required in this Section;
(2) Paid the appropriate application fee and the reinstatement fee;
(3) Successfully completed any procedure required by the Director, under the rules and regulations of the Department of Building and Housing established as permitted in this Chapter, by which the owner has demonstrated that the property has been brought into substantial compliance with the City Codes that were the basis of the revocation or, if the property had been declared a public nuisance under Chapter 109, that sufficient action has been taken, as determined by the Chief of Police, to prevent future criminal activity nuisances from occurring at the property.
(Ord. 17-92. Enacted 11-13-17.)
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