Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1506 grants the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management exclusive authority over Lake Erie shore structures, erosion areas, and submerged lands, preempting local control of shoreline development.
Under ORC 1506.10, the state of Ohio holds the bed of Lake Erie in trust for the public, and any structure, fill, or modification on submerged lands or below the ordinary high water mark requires a submerged lands lease or permit from ODNR. ORC 1506.06 designates Coastal Erosion Areas where setbacks and construction restrictions apply to protect property and the lake, and structures within these mapped zones require a permit. Shore structures such as seawalls, revetments, and piers require ODNR Coastal Management Section approval, and federal Clean Water Act 401 certification is administered by Ohio EPA.
Building unauthorized structures on submerged lands or in a Coastal Erosion Area can result in removal orders, daily civil penalties under ORC 1506.99, and forfeiture of unauthorized fill. ODNR may also seek restoration of the public trust resource.
Westerville, OH
Westerville prohibits street parking for more than 48 consecutive hours on public streets under Codified Ordinance 351.16. Overnight parking is generally all...
Westerville, OH
Westerville allows up to 4 hens on residential lots with a permit. No roosters. Coops must be setback at least 25 feet from neighboring structures. The city'...
Westerville, OH
Westerville adopts the Ohio Residential Code smoke alarm requirements. Smoke alarms required in every sleeping room, outside sleeping areas, and on every lev...
Westerville, OH
Westerville allows recreational fire pits under Ohio Fire Code 307.4. Fires must be under 3 feet in diameter, 2 feet high, and at least 25 feet from any stru...
Westerville, OH
Westerville requires property owners to maintain vegetation and remove dead brush under Codified Ordinance 521.08. No defensible-space wildfire rules apply a...
Westerville, OH
Backyard recreational fires permitted in Westerville under Ohio Fire Code 307.4: 3-foot diameter maximum, 25-foot setback from structures, clean wood only. M...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Franklin County.
See how Westerville's coastal development rules stack up against other locations.
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