Zoning administrator tells council certified building department requires uniform enforcement; decertification risk flagged

John Isaac, the village's zoning administrator, walked council through the workflow between zoning and building permits and warned that operating a certified building department under state rules requires mandatory enforcement of the state residential code.

Isaac said the process is normally two-phase: zoning sets the "where and what" (setbacks, lot sizes) and, after zoning approval, the project moves to building for technical and safety-code compliance. He described the relationship between the Ohio Revised Code and the Residential Code of Ohio (RCO), which provides the technical minimum standards.

"Can local standards be stricter?" Isaac asked rhetorically, then answered: "No, they can't," saying local rules cannot undercut state-mandated minimums. He also said a certified municipality cannot selectively enforce parts of the RCO without risking probation or decertification: "If the municipality is certified, enforcement is an all or nothing commitment to the uniform standard." Isaac said the Board of Building Standards could place the village on probation and ultimately pursue decertification if a certified local department enforces only parts of the state code.

Council members asked whether the county would pick up residential inspections if the village did not enforce (it would not) and whether plumbing inspections are handled by the county (plumbing oversight may be separate). Isaac said he would meet with an outside expert (Jim Camp) and return with options on whether the village should retain a certified building department, contract enforcement out, or take other steps.

Action and next steps: Isaac will meet with the expert and report back with options and likely timelines; council asked for follow-up on contract terms, the certification renewal/termination clause (60-day notice referenced) and budget implications.