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Council adopts ordinance to register and inspect apartment buildings; fees dedicated to administration
Summary
Council passed Ordinance 2025-02 to amend Chapter 1493, creating apartment registration, permit and inspection rules and directing related fees to a designated cost center to fund administration and inspections; members debated inspection cycles and fee equity compared with single-family rentals.
On second reading Council adopted Ordinance 2025-02, amending Chapter 1493 of the city code to require apartment-building registration, permits and inspections and to dedicate collected registration and permit fees to administering the ordinance.
Law Director Bradric Bryan explained that a recent Southern Ohio court ruling required fee language ensuring that registration and permit fees be spent on administering the program. He said subsection 1493.01(d) directs fees to a designated cost center and requires the Housing Department to track personnel and equipment time spent enforcing the ordinance; excess funds would prompt a review of fees in subsequent years.
Council members discussed the fee structure and inspection rhythm. Sponsor Councilmember Winifred Weizer said the committee recommended grouping apartment buildings into size ranges (tiered fees) and using a three-year inspection cycle with approximately one-third of apartments inspected each year to manage staff workload. Some members, including Mayor Brennan, questioned whether the proposed fee levels covered inspection costs for large developments and whether the public should subsidize commercial landlords if fees are set too low. The committee and sponsor said the ordinance establishes a starting point; data from initial implementation will guide future adjustments, particularly after larger projects such as the University Square/Bell Tower development come online.
MOTION by Ms. Weizer, seconded by Mr. Cooney, to suspend the full reading and adopt Ordinance 2025-02; roll call vote was unanimous.
The ordinance directs administration to track costs and report so Council can revise fee levels if needed. Council indicated the Building & Housing Committee will continue to review inspection schedules, enforcement practices and parity with single- and two-family rental inspection programs.
