What is Property Maintenance Code?

Passed in 2006, the Property Maintenance Code was adopted to protect the public health, safety and general welfare as it relates to properties and buildings in Tallmadge whether they are used for Residential, Commercial and/or Industrial purposes. The establishment of minimum standards for maintaining the environmental qualities of these premises ensures the preservation of achieving acceptable appearance, avoiding blighting effects, negative impacts of the value of neighboring properties and eliminating hazardous conditions.

How does the City enforce the Property Maintenance Code?

Tallmadge is both responsive and proactive in its efforts to enforce the Property Maintenance Code. Code Enforcement Officials will respond to resident complaints. Responses include the education of property owners/occupants on maintenance needs and available resources, as well as collaboration with owners to improve maintenance. When improvements are not made, Notice of Violations will be issued, which may result in Civil Remedies as permitted by law. Code Enforcements Officials will also respond to obvious Property Maintenance violations that pose a threat to the general welfare and safety of the property owner/occupant and/or residents of Tallmadge or causes a blighting effect that is hard to ignore. 

The City also has a Nuisance Code.

When a complaint is received on high grass, junk or inoperable/junk vehicles, determination is made as to the nuisance levels. In the case of high grass, for example, the following is considered to make a nuisance determination: If the property is empty, without a structure, 10' from the right-of-way must be maintained and mowed. Properties with structures must be maintained and mowed 150' from the right-of-way. High grass, junk and inoperable/junk vehicle nuisances are enforced by the Tallmadge Police Department.

What happens when there is a Violation?

The City believes that the best way to resolve a violation is through voluntary compliance, not by immediately sending a violation letter. A Code Enforcement Official will generally first attempt to meet with or call the owner of a property with a violation and work with them to develop a plan and timetable for compliance.

If the owner refuses to comply, the Code Enforcement Official will send a Notice of Violation.

Exceptions to this process occur with tall grass and trash violations, which occur in such great numbers and must be addressed so quickly that City staff may not have time to mail, call or visit a property owner. In these cases a notice will be posted on the property.

If the owner refuses to comply with the Notice of Violation, then one of two things will happen:

• If the City has the resources to bring the property into compliance (examples are tall grass and trash/junk), the City will do so and assess the costs to the property owner.
• If the City does not have the resources to abate the violation, the City will file charges against the owner through the Municipal Court.

How do I Report a Potential Violation?

You can submit your request for inspection by contacting us via email, phone or the Contact Us Form.