Council approves amendment to property-maintenance code; staff to draft additional enforcement options

Upper Arlington City Council voted June 16 to waive the third-reading requirement and adopt amendments to the city's property-maintenance code that revise enforcement and penalties related to property maintenance issues.

The ordinance was introduced at second reading as ordinance 17-2025, described in the meeting materials as amendments to Section 3.06 (Enforcement and Penalties) and other parts of Chapter 14.01 of the Upper Arlington Code of Ordinances implementing the International Property Maintenance Code. Council voted to suspend the three-reading rule and then voted to adopt the ordinance the same night.

Council members discussed the purpose and scope of the amendment during the meeting. One council member said the change is intended to give staff additional tools for “egregious bad actor type situations” rather than to punish routine or inadvertent property issues. City staff and the city attorney indicated they would continue work over the summer on additional regulatory changes some residents requested and return with separate legislation so council could consider those changes with full public notice.

No detailed roll-call tally was recorded in the minutes on the floor; the chair called for voice votes and announced the motions carried after the votes. Councilmembers emphasized balancing enforcement with fairness and asked staff to analyze proactive enforcement models and resource implications before expanding enforcement activity.

Next steps identified at the meeting: city attorneys will study and draft additional ordinance language addressing other issues raised by residents, staff will evaluate the resource and cost implications of more proactive enforcement, and council will consider further legislation when it reconvenes after recess.