Pickerington, OH Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Grass Max
- 8 inches
- Notice
- 10 days
- City Abatement
- 150-300 dollars per cut
- Dumping
- Separate violation
- Authority
- ORC 715.261
Summary
Vacant lots in Pickerington must be kept free of noxious weeds, grass over 8 inches, trash, and debris. The city issues notices and performs abatement with costs assessed as a tax lien if owners fail to comply.
(A) As used in this section: [...] (2) "Abatement activity" means each instance of any of the following: (a) Removing, repairing, or securing insecure, unsafe, structurally defective, abandoned, deserted, or open and vacant buildings or other structures; (b) Making emergency corrections of hazardous conditions; (c) Abatement of any nuisance by a municipal corporation or its agent pursuant to division (E) of this section. (B) A municipal corporation or its agent pursuant to division (E) of this section may collect the total cost of abatement activities by any of the methods prescribed in division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section. (1) For each abatement activity in which costs are incurred, the clerk of the legislative authority of the municipal corporation or its agent pursuant to division (E) of this section may certify the total costs of each abatement activity, together with the parcel number or another proper description of the lands on which the abatement activity occurred, the date the costs were incurred for each abatement activity, and the name of the owner of record at the time the costs were incurred for each abatement activity, to the county auditor who shall place the costs as a charge upon the tax list and duplicate. The costs are a lien upon such lands from and after the date the costs were incurred. [...] (E) A municipal corporation may enter into an agreement with a county land reutilization corporation [...] in connection with removing, repairing, or securing insecure, unsafe, structurally defective, abandoned, deserted, or open and vacant buildings or other structures, making emergency corrections of hazardous conditions, or abating any nuisance, including high weeds, overgrown brush, and trash and debris from vacant lots.
Full Breakdown
Codified Ordinance 660.05 and Chapter 1313 apply equally to vacant and improved lots. The Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District may require erosion control on lots being prepared for construction. Dumping on vacant lots is a separate offense under Codified Ordinance 521.10 carrying potential misdemeanor charges.
Violations & Fines
Failure to maintain generates a 10-day notice to correct; after that the city mows and bills the owner approximately 150 to 300 dollars per cut plus administrative fees. Costs become a tax lien.
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pickerington
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Vacant Lot Maintenance in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle vacant lot maintenance.