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Parma Heights council asks law department to review yard-structures rule after question about "invisible fence"
Summary
Council President Tom Rounds asked the Law Department to review Chapter 1193 of the city code after questioning whether language aimed at visible yard structures could be applied to an "invisible fence," and he asked staff to clarify overlaps with other sections and whether the ACO should weigh in.
Council President Tom Rounds asked the Parma Heights Law Department to review Chapter 1193 of the city code after raising a concern that the section appears aimed at visible yard structures but may be read to regulate "invisible" containment systems.
“This section seems to refer to structures and features that we can see, this is specifically about an invisible fence we cannot see and therefore does it belong in this section?” Council President Tom Rounds asked, citing possible ambiguity in the code language. He also asked whether provisions in 1193 overlap with existing code sections 660.14 and 618.10 and requested feedback from the ACO. He framed the issue around a policy distinction between containment systems and ornamental landscape features.
The discussion focused on clarifying the intended scope of Chapter 1193 rather than adopting a change at the work session. Rounds asked for a legal opinion from the Law Department so council members could determine whether the language should be revised, and whether the issue should be handled as a stand‑alone change or as part of related code sections.
No formal motion to amend the code was recorded at the work session. The item was discussed as part of the council’s legislative review; staff follow‑up to provide Law Department input and any recommended drafting changes was requested. The council had recessed midmeeting and later adjourned at 11:58 a.m.
