Grandview Heights panel backs fire-code updates to regulate EV chargers and food trucks

Chair Melanie Houston opened the Safety Committee meeting by announcing consideration of Ordinance 26-12, a second-reading amendment to the City of Grandview Heights fire prevention code to incorporate recent Ohio Fire Code changes into local law.

The committee heard from the fire chief, who said most edits are housekeeping but identified two local additions the city is making: new requirements for commercial electric-vehicle (EV) charging installations and a local permit/inspection pathway for mobile food units. "What we're doing with this ordinance largely is to incorporate the changes in Ohio fire code into our city code, and we need these updates to be in our code to allow for enforcement at the local level," Chair Melanie Houston said.

The fire chief described the EV provisions as site-specific and safety-focused. He told the committee the city will "permit each one individually on a commercial level" and avoid placements that could block apparatus access. The chief said the draft requires "a unique power disconnect within 25 feet of the EV charging station," so a bystander who spots smoke or fire can isolate power while calling 911, and also recommends keeping a large fire blanket on site to contain early-stage vehicle fires.

On mobile food units, the chief said Grandview will accept vendors that already hold a City of Columbus mobile food vendor license, but will also provide an inspection-and-permit path when Columbus inspection capacity is delayed. "If they give us a two week head start, we'll get them inspected, and we'll let them come into Grandview once we inspect them," he said, describing the city's intent to focus on hood systems, suppression, extinguishers and generator placement rather than food-preparation licensure, which is handled by state licensure.

Staff told the committee they plan to standardize operational-permit fees at $75 to simplify administration across permit categories, though the committee asked staff to confirm whether permits will be annual or one-time; the chief said he expected annual permits but would confirm timing before final adoption.

Council member Rosak raised formatting and numbering inconsistencies in the draft and noted that some newly added sections did not explicitly list the $75 fee; staff acknowledged last-minute edits and said appendix D (which previously listed individual permit fees) had been removed in favor of a uniform fee and that the final packet would correct formatting and numbering issues.

After discussing grandfathering of existing installations (the chief said existing commercial chargers already in place would be grandfathered), the committee moved to recommend council approval. Chair Melanie Houston asked for a motion to recommend approval; the committee recorded a motion, a second, and the ayes were recorded. The committee also discussed the ordinance's emergency language and clarified that declaring an emergency differs from suspending council rules and has implications for referendum/overturnability.

The Safety Committee voted to forward the ordinance with the recommendation that staff finalize the permit language and fee formatting ahead of the third reading. The ordinance will next be considered at the council readings for final action.