(a) No person, regardless of intent, shall deposit litter or cause litter to be deposited on any public property, on private property not owned by him, or in or on waters of the State unless one of the following applies:
(1) The person is directed to do so by a public official as part of a litter collection drive.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (b) hereof, the person deposits the litter in a litter receptacle in a manner that prevents its being carried away by the elements;
(3) The person is issued a permit or license covering the litter pursuant to Ohio R.C. Chapter 3734 or 6111.
(b) No person, without privilege to do so, shall knowingly deposit litter, or cause it to be deposited, in a litter receptacle located on any public property or on any private property not owned by him unless one of the following applies:
(1) The litter was generated or located on the property on which the litter receptacle is located;
(2) The person is directed to do so by a public official as part of a litter collection drive;
(3) The person is directed to do so by a person whom he reasonably believes to have the privilege to use the litter receptacle;
(4) The litter consist of any of the following:
A. The contents of a litter bag or container of a type and size customarily carried and used in a motor vehicle;
B. The contents of an ash tray of a type customarily installed or carried and used in a motor vehicle;
C. Beverage containers and food sacks, wrappings, and containers of a type and in an amount that reasonably may be expected to be generated during routine commuting or business or recreational travel by a motor vehicle;
D. Beverage containers, food sacks, wrappings, containers, and other materials of a type and in an amount that reasonably may be expected to be generated during a routine day by a person and deposited in a litter receptacle by a casual passerby.
(c) (1) As used in subsection (b)(1) hereof, “ public property” includes any private property open to the public for the conduct of business, the provision of a service, or upon the payment of a fee, but does not include any private property to which the public otherwise does not have a right of access.
(2) As used in subsection (b)(4) hereof, “casual passerby” means a person who does not have depositing litter in a litter receptacle as his primary reason for traveling to or by the property on which the litter receptacle is located.
(d) As used in this section:
(1) “Litter” means garbage, trash, waste, rubbish, ashes, cans, bottles, wire, paper, cartons, boxes, automobile parts, furniture, glass, or anything else of an unsightly or unsanitary nature.
(2) “Deposit” means to throw, drop, discard or place.
(3) “Litter receptacle” means a dumpster, trash can, trash bin, garbage can, or similar container in which litter is deposited for removal.
(e) No person shall cause or allow trash, garbage, waste, rubbish, refuse or any other noxious or offensive materials or substances to be collected or remain in any place to the damage or prejudice of others or of the public, or unlawfully obstruct, impede, divert, corrupt or render unwholesome or impure, any natural watercourse.
(f) The owner or person in control of any private property, regardless of use or occupancy shall at all times maintain the premises free of litter. However, this section shall not prohibit the storage of litter in authorized private containers for collection. Used lumber, construction debris, abandoned, unused or inoperative automobiles, motor vehicles, trailers, boats, campers, recreational vehicles, appliances, equipment and other like items shall either be stored in an enclosed structure, or, in the case of motor vehicles, trailers, boats, campers, recreational vehicles, and like and similar items parked or stored outside in the Village shall be kept in good repair and carry a current year license and registration.
(g) This section may be enforced by any sheriff, deputy sheriff, police officer of a municipal corporation, police constable or officer of a township or township police district, wildlife officer, park officer, forest officer, preserve officer, conservancy district police officer, inspector of nuisances of a county, or any other law enforcement officer within his jurisdiction.
(h) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree on a first offense; on each subsequent offense such person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. (Ord. 8-99-548. Passed 8-11-99.)