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Property Maintenance

How Lima Handles Property Maintenance: A Practical Guide

By CityRuleLookup Editorial Team

Lima maintains 46 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with property maintenance. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Lima falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Vacant Lot Maintenance

Lima can post, close and secure vacant or unsecured structures as public nuisances. Chronically neglected vacant parcels are placed on a Specified Parcel List for seasonal cutting, junk removal and boarding-up, with costs assessed to the owner.

Key details: Vacant-structure closing: PMC 1816.04. Specified parcels: PMC 1804.39. Vacancy trigger: 30+ days unoccupied. Repeat-violation trigger: 2 abatements in 12 months. Annual assessment fee: $205.

Special-assessment administrative fee of $205 annually for specified-parcel status, plus publication and abatement costs, collectible on the tax duplicate. PMC misdemeanor penalties also apply.

Property Blight

Lima's Property Maintenance Code requires all exterior property be kept clean, safe and sanitary. Premises littered with rubbish or garbage, or with uncontrolled weed growth, or in dilapidation are declared public nuisances subject to abatement by the Code Official.

Key details: Governing code: Property Maintenance Code, Part 18. Nuisance defined: PMC 1802.02(EE). Sanitation standard: PMC 1806.01. Enforcer: Community Development Code Official. Civil penalty: $350 ($50 if corrected).

Escalating misdemeanors: 1st offense M-4 up to $250, rising to M-1 up to $1,000. Civil penalty of $350 (reduced to $50 if corrected in time). Separate offense each day.

The Bottom Line

Lima's property maintenance rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Lima is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Lima's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.