Council committee reviews changes to Cleveland nuisance law; ordinance tabled pending data

At a Cleveland City Council committee meeting, Assistant Safety Director Nicole Carlton presented Ordinance 228-2025, a proposed amendment to Sections 6.30.01 and 6.30.02 of the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland that would broaden the definition of nuisance activity, clarify how probable cause is established, and change the notice and abatement process for properties linked to repeated disorderly conduct.

The changes aim "to ensure that effective action can be taken against properties associated with repeated nuisance activities that threaten public safety and quality of life in our neighborhoods," Carlton said. Under the draft ordinance, a property would be at risk of nuisance declaration if three or more nuisance activities occur within a six-month period; the property owner would be required to submit an abatement plan within 10 days or face a $100-per-day fine until a plan is filed.

The measure would expressly allow police personnel to rely on witness statements and other documented interactions short of an arrest or citation. "To be a nuisance activity, criminal conviction, citation, or arrest is not necessary," Assistant…