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Stow City hearing officer gives property owner two weeks to clear materials after code violation
Summary
Hearing Officer Steve Hooten told property owner Randall Friess the city will reinspect his property in two weeks after photographs showed storage materials outside; a written order will be issued and a temporary fence may require a permit.
Hearing Officer Steve Hooten told property owner Randall Friess on the record that Stow City will reinspect a property tied to violation V 25117 in two weeks after inspectors found building materials and storage items outside the house.
The zoning department presented inspection photos and a timeline showing repeated notices. Zoning staff said an initial notice was issued on July 16 with a compliance date of July 28, a second notice followed July 31 with a compliance date of Aug. 7 and a reinspection on Aug. 8. Additional inspections occurred on Aug. 22 and most recently “yesterday,” according to the department’s presentation.
Hooten said the owner has taken delivery of a shed and begun moving items inside. “Since shed is there and you said you already started to get stuff in there, I think what we'll do is we'll set this out for reinspection, in 2 weeks, check on everything,” Hooten said. He told Friess the hearing officer would issue a written order after returning to court and that the two‑week compliance clock would start from the day Friess receives that order.
Zoning staff showed photos from the latest inspection depicting barrels, piping and other materials along the side of the house. Molly Emery of the zoning department said unused building materials and similar items count toward the storage violation and recommended cleanup and organization; staff also noted permits were on file for the shed.
Friess questioned enforcement around a temporary fence on the property that he said keeps chickens contained. “Are we really gonna go there about a temporary wire fence that just keeps the chickens? I mean,” Friess said. Zoning staff responded that even temporary fencing can require a permit and that the department would work with him on that issue separately.
Hooten instructed Friess to contact the zoning department if he expects delays in meeting the compliance deadline. If the property appears compliant when staff reinspects two weeks after Friess receives the written order, the violation will be considered resolved; otherwise the department will proceed with further enforcement per Stow City code procedures.
The hearing record includes repeated inspection dates and photographs supplied by the zoning department; no formal fine or further enforcement action was decided at the hearing itself.
