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Upper Arlington council hears code enforcement update and considers tougher penalties for repeat violators
Summary
City staff reported a rise in complaint-driven code cases and described a proposed ordinance (17-2025) that would raise maximum fines and add civil-penalty tools for unresolved or out-of-state property maintenance violations. Residents urged faster action on long-vacant homes during public comment.
City officials delivered an annual update on code enforcement at the June 9 Upper Arlington City Council meeting and presented an ordinance (17-2025) that would raise penalties for repeat or serious property-maintenance violations and add civil-penalty authority for hard-to-serve owners.
The update, presented by the community development director (Director Gibson) and the city’s code enforcement officers, described this year’s work and an increase in complaint-driven cases. "More than 95% of the cases, we get voluntary compliance," Director Gibson said, noting most matters resolve without court involvement. Mike Morris, the city’s code enforcement officer, said the department opened roughly 146 new cases through April with about half coming from proactive inspections and half from complaints.
The ordinance before council would change some violations in the International Property Maintenance Code and the…
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