(a) Grass and weeds shall be maintained at a height not to exceed eight inches. This includes grass and weeds located within thirty feet of a street right-of-way or adjacent property line.
(b) Trees, plants, and weeds which have been identified as noxious or invasive by the United States Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio State University Extension Service (see, e.g., Bulletin 866-98), or designated as such under Ohio Administrative Code 901:5-37-01 shall be eradicated within thirty days after their discovery and identification.
(c) Exceptions to divisions (a) and (b) above.
(1) Any exception granted shall require written approval by the City Manager or designees.
(2) Naturally preserved areas. Naturally preserved areas, which shall be defined as any publicly owned lands designated as parks or open space; or private properties, as approved by the City Manager or his/her designee, that have been exempted in order to preserve the natural character and qualities of the parcel(s) shall be exempt from the requirements set forth in divisions (a) and (b) above.
(3) Parcels devoted to active farming. Land used for active farming (which includes agriculture and pasturing of livestock) shall be generally exempt from the requirements set forth in divisions (a) and (b) above. However, grass and weeds of any portion of a parcel devoted to active farming, located within thirty feet of a street right-of-way line or adjacent property line shall be maintained at a height not to exceed eight inches as indicated in division (a) above. For the purpose of this section, "active farming" refers to those uses undertaken.
(d) Obstructions to Lawful Maintenance. No owner of any parcel or platted lot shall permit any soil, rocks, refuse or construction debris to be deposited or remain on the parcel which obstructs its vegetation being maintained in conformance with the requirements of this section, except during a period of active construction. A lot or parcel shall be considered "actively under construction" only during that period commencing with the issuance of the City building permit for the principal structure and concluding with the issuance of the City occupancy permit for that structure.
(Ord. 13-2012. Passed 6-21-12; Ord. 03-2023. Passed 4-6-23.)