Canton, OH Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Section 540.06(a)(1) prohibits urinating or defecating on any City Property or in or upon any City building, monument, or structure, carving out only facilities specifically designed for that purpose, meaning public restrooms remain the sole lawful option on city land. The prohibition sits within the broader Section 540.06, General Provisions Pertaining to City Property, part of Chapter 540, Prohibited Camping, which also bars unsanitary use of fountains, pools, and other water features for washing or cleaning oneself or one's belongings under subsection (b), and sets dawn-to-dusk hours for Centennial Plaza and Central Plaza under subsection (c).

City Property is defined broadly in Section 540.01(e) to include all property, parks, rights of way, parking lots, easements, or other land owned, leased, controlled, or managed by the City or its designee, so the urination ban reaches far beyond parks alone to cover sidewalks, plazas, and public rights of way citywide. A conviction is a minor misdemeanor that carries suspension and immediate removal from City Property under subsection (a)(2), meaning a violator can be barred from returning to the location in addition to any court-imposed fine.

The chapter was enacted by Ord. 171-2025, passed September 15, 2025, and Section 540.99 caps the maximum fine for any Chapter 540 violation, including this one, at $50, with the court able to weigh mitigation factors such as voluntary cleanup or engagement with social services before sentencing.