Chapter 723 | Streets; Public Grounds

Section 723.01 | Legislative authority to have care, supervision, and control of public roads, grounds and bridges.

• Effective: April 9, 2003
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 106 - 124th General Assembly

Municipal corporations shall have special power to regulate the use of the streets. Except as provided in section 5501.49 of the Revised Code, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation shall have the care, supervision, and control of the public highways, streets, avenues, alleys, sidewalks, public grounds, bridges, aqueducts, and viaducts within the municipal corporation. The liability or immunity from liability of a municipal corporation for injury, death, or loss to person or property allegedly caused by a failure to perform the responsibilities imposed by this section shall be determined pursuant to divisions (A) and (B)(3) of section 2744.02 of the Revised Code.

Section 723.011 | Control of sidewalks, curbs, and gutters.

• Effective: January 1, 1962
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 262 - 104th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, in addition to the powers conferred by sections 729.01 to 729.10, inclusive, of the Revised Code, may require, by ordinance, by the imposition of suitable penalties or otherwise, that the owners and occupants of abutting lots and lands shall keep the sidewalks, curbs, and gutters in repair and free from snow or any nuisance.

Section 723.012 | Wooden flagpole along right-of-way.

• Effective: July 21, 1976
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 558 - 111th General Assembly

A property owner in a municipal corporation may install a wooden flagpole in a sidewalk or sodded area, for displaying the American flag only, between the sidewalk and curb along the right-of-way of any public street or highway adjacent to his property. A property owner may also install underground lighting for the display of the flag. Installation of the flagpole and holder shall meet the following specifications:

(A) The flagpole holder shall be embedded in concrete, flush with the sidewalk or sodded area, and possess a cap or cover which shall be used when the holder is not used for the purpose of displaying the American flag;

(B) The holder shall not exceed two inches in diameter and shall be installed not less than one foot from the curb;

(C) Underground lighting for the flagpole shall be situated within a reasonable distance to the holder and meet all underwriter's requirements governing installation. The highest part of the lighting fixture shall at all times be flush with the sidewalk or sodded area in which it is embedded;

(D) At no time shall the flag, flagpole, or holder limit or restrict the view of pedestrian or vehicular traffic, nor shall a flag, flagpole, or holder be installed that comes in physical contact, or is likely to come in physical contact, with overhead wiring.

A municipal corporation may require the issuance of a permit for installation of flagpoles but shall not charge the property owner a permit fee or an inspection fee in excess of one dollar per installation.

Section 723.02 | Opening streets.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may open, straighten, alter, divert, narrow, or widen any street, alley, or public highway within the limits of the municipal corporation. The legislative authority shall provide for such improvement by ordinance, which shall briefly and in general terms describe the part of the street, alley, or public highway to be abandoned by reason of such change, and the property to be appropriated for such purposes. The proceeding for such appropriation shall be as provided by sections 719.01 to 719.21, inclusive, of the Revised Code.

Section 723.03 | Dedication of streets - acceptance by legislative authority.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

A street or alley, dedicated to public use by the proprietor of ground in any municipal corporation, shall not be a public street or alley, or under the care or control of the legislative authority of such municipal corporation, unless the dedication is accepted and confirmed by an ordinance specially passed for such purpose.

Section 723.04 | Change of name, vacating, or narrowing streets on petition.

• Effective: January 30, 2014
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 72 - 130th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, on petition by a person owning a lot in the municipal corporation praying that a street or alley in the immediate vicinity of such lot be vacated or narrowed, or the name thereof changed, upon hearing, and upon being satisfied that there is good cause for such change of name, vacation, or narrowing, that it will not be detrimental to the general interest, and that it should be made, may, by ordinance, declare such street or alley vacated, narrowed, or the name thereof changed. The legislative authority may include in one ordinance the change of name, vacation, or narrowing of more than one street, avenue, or alley. The original ordinance or a certified copy thereof shall be recorded in the official records of the county recorder.

Section 723.041 | Permanent easement in vacated street for public utility facilities.

• Effective: October 16, 1961
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 412 - 104th General Assembly

When any street, alley, or public highway, or a portion thereof, is vacated or narrowed by a municipality pursuant to the provisions of any section of Chapter 723. of the Revised Code, and the relocation of any conduits, cables, wires, towers, poles, sewer lines, steam lines, pipelines, gas and water lines, tracks, or other equipment or appliances of any railroad or public utility, whether owned privately or by any governmental authority, located on, over, or under the portion of the street, alley, or highway affected by such vacation or narrowing, is not required for purposes of the municipality, including urban renewal, any affected railroad or public utility shall be deemed to have a permanent easement in such vacated portion or excess portion of such street, alley, or highway for the purpose of maintaining, operating, renewing, reconstructing, and removing said utility facilities and for purposes of access to said facilities.

Section 723.05 | Change of name, vacating, or narrowing streets without petition.

• Effective: January 30, 2014
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 72 - 130th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may, when there are two or more streets, avenues, or alleys of the same name in the municipal corporation, by ordinance and without petition therefor, change the name of any such street, avenue, or alley so as to leave only one to be designated by the original name.

When, in the opinion of the legislative authority, there is good cause for vacating or narrowing a street or alley, or any part thereof, and that such vacation or narrowing will not be detrimental to the general interest, it may, by ordinance and without petition therefor, vacate or narrow such street or alley or any part thereof. The original ordinance or a certified copy thereof shall be recorded in the official records of the county recorder.

Section 723.06 | Notice not required.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Notice of the intention of the legislative authority of a municipal corporation to vacate any street, alley, avenue, or part thereof shall be given as provided in section 723.07 of the Revised Code, except when written consent to such vacation is filed with the legislative authority by the owners of the property abutting the part of the street or alley proposed to be vacated, in which case such notice shall not be required.

Section 723.07 | Notice of application to be published.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

No street or alley shall be vacated or narrowed unless notice of the pendency and prayer of the petition under section 723.04 of the Revised Code is given by publishing, in a newspaper of general circulation in such municipal corporation, for six consecutive weeks preceding action on such petition, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code preceding action on the petition. Where no newspaper is of general circulation in the municipal corporation, notice shall be given by posting the notice in three public places therein six weeks preceding such action. Action thereon shall take place within three months after the completion of the notice.

Section 723.08 | Effect of order of vacation.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The order of a legislative authority of a municipal corporation vacating or narrowing a street or alley which has been dedicated to public use by the proprietor thereof, shall, to the extent to which it is vacated or narrowed, operate as a revocation of the acceptance thereof by the legislative authority, but the right of way and easement therein of any lot owner shall not be impaired by such order.

Section 723.09 | Vacation or establishment of street or alley by court.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The court of common pleas may, upon petition filed in such court by any person owning a lot in a municipal corporation, for the establishment or vacation of a street or alley in the immediate vicinity of such lot, upon hearing, and upon being satisfied that it will conduce to the general interests of such municipal corporation, declare such street or alley established or vacated, but this method shall be in addition to those prescribed in sections 723.04 to 723.08, inclusive, and section 723.02 of the Revised Code.

Section 723.10 | Notice of petition.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Notice of the pendency, object, and prayer of a petition for the vacation or establishment of a street or alley under section 723.09 of the Revised Code shall be served upon the municipal corporation in the manner provided by law for the service of summons and shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which such street or alley is located, for four consecutive weeks, on the same day of the week. The cause may be heard and determined at any time after the expiration of ten days from the date of last publication.

Section 723.11 | Hearing of adverse claims.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

If a person, other than a petitioner under section 723.09 of the Revised Code, owning a lot in the immediate vicinity of a street or alley prayed to be vacated or established, claims that he will sustain damage thereby, the court of common pleas may proceed to hear proof in reference thereto and may render judgment against the petitioners for such damages as it thinks just, which damages shall be assessed ratably against the petitioners by the court according to the value of the property owned by them as it stands taxed on the tax list of the county, and a jury may be demanded as in other cases. The court shall, when necessary, appoint a guardian ad litem for all minors or persons of unsound mind who are interested in the premises.

Section 723.12 | Street not to be closed until damages paid.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

A street or alley declared vacated under section 723.09 of the Revised Code, shall not be closed or obstructed until the damages assessed under section 723.11 of the Revised Code have been fully paid to the persons entitled to them.

Section 723.121 | Conveyance of lands not needed for municipal purposes by legislative authorities.

• Effective: November 9, 1965
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 287 - 106th General Assembly

The legislative authority of any municipal corporation may convey the fee simple estate or any lesser estate or interest in, or permit the use of, for such period as it shall determine, any lands owned by such municipal corporation and acquired or used for public highways, streets, avenues, sidewalks, public grounds, bridges, aqueducts, and viaducts, or in connection with any such purposes or as incidental to the acquisition of land for any of such purposes, provided that it shall determine, and enter its determination in the minutes of its proceedings, that the property or interest so to be conveyed or be permitted to be used is not needed by the municipal corporation for any of such purposes. Such conveyance or permit to use may be to the grantee or permittee or to the grantee or permittee and his or its successors and assigns and shall be of such portion of such lands as such legislative authority determines, which shall be described in the deed or other instrument of conveyance and in any permit to use, and may include or be limited to areas or space on, above, or below the surface, and may include the grant of easements or other interests in any such lands not so conveyed or made subject to a permit to use, for use by the grantee for buildings or structures or other uses and purposes, and for the support of buildings or structures constructed or to be constructed in or on the lands, areas, or space conveyed or made subject to a permit to use.

Whenever pursuant to this section separate units of property are created in any lands, each unit shall for all purposes constitute real property and shall be deemed real estate within the meaning of all provisions of the Revised Code and shall be deemed to be a separate parcel for all purposes of taxation and assessment of real property and no other unit or other part of such lands shall be charged with the payment of such taxes and assessments.

With respect to any of such property not owned in fee simple by the municipal corporation, the legislative authority thereof may grant the right to use any portion thereof in perpetuity or for such period of time as it shall specify, including areas or space on, above, or beneath the surface, together with rights for the support of buildings or structures constructed or to be constructed thereon or therein, provided that it shall determine, and enter its determination on the minutes of its proceedings, that the property made subject to a permit to use is not needed by the municipal corporation for any of such purposes.

The legislative authority of such municipal corporation shall require, as either a condition precedent or a condition subsequent to any conveyance or grant or permit to use, that the plans and specifications for all such buildings or structures and the contemplated use thereof, be approved by the municipal corporation as not interfering with its use for its purposes of any such property and not unduly endangering the public, and may require such indemnity agreements in favor of the municipal corporation and the public as are lawful and as shall be deemed necessary by it. The municipal corporation shall not unreasonably withhold approval of such plans, specifications, and contemplated use.

All such conveyances or grants or permits to use shall be made with competitive bidding as required by section 721.03 of the Revised Code, except that competitive bidding shall not be required if such conveyance, grant, or permit to use is to be made to the United States of America or this state, or any political subdivision, taxing district, department, commission, board, institution, authority, or other agency of either.

In any case where any municipal corporation has acquired or acquires easements in or permits to use areas or space on, above, or below the surface for any purpose, the legislative authority thereof is authorized to extinguish them in whole or in part or subordinate them to uses by others, provided that it shall determine, and enter its determination on the minutes of its proceedings, that the easements or permits to use so extinguished or subordinated are not needed for municipal purposes.

No conveyance, easement, lease, permit, or other instrument executed pursuant to the authorization given by this section shall prejudice any right, title, or interest in any lands affected thereby which at the date thereof existed in any person, firm, or corporation, other than the municipal corporation which makes such conveyance, grants such right, or executes such instrument and other than members of the general public having no specific rights in said lands, unless such right, title, or interest was expressly subject to the right of the municipal corporation to make such conveyance, grant such right, or execute such instrument and unless said municipal corporation by such instrument expressly exercises such right, nor shall any public utility be required to move or relocate any of its facilities that may be located in or on the areas described in any such conveyance, easement, lease, permit, or other instrument.

Section 723.13 | Municipal corporations may construct or repair viaduct - bonds.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When the legislative authority of a municipal corporation has determined to issue bonds for the purpose of constructing or repairing any viaduct over any street, stream, railway tracks, or other place where an overhead roadway or footway is deemed necessary as provided by law, or when such legislative authority has determined to purchase or condemn, or when a municipal corporation has purchased or condemned, land for the purpose of constructing or repairing a viaduct, the municipal corporation may construct or repair such viaduct and purchase or condemn the necessary land therefor, and the money arising from the sale of any of the bonds so issued shall be expended as provided in section 723.14 of the Revised Code.

Section 723.14 | Expenditure of construction or repair funds.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

All funds arising from the sale of bonds for the construction or repair of viaducts of a municipal corporation, or for the purchase or condemnation of land for such purpose, shall be paid into the treasury of the municipal corporation and paid out and expended upon the vouchers of the board or officer having charge of the repair of public roads or streets. Contracts for such improvements shall be made in the same manner as other contracts are required to be made. Vouchers to pay such contracts or any portion of the cost of such improvements shall be drawn by such board or officer upon the auditor or clerk of the municipal corporation, who shall keep an accurate account of moneys so expended.

The funds created by the sale of bonds for viaduct purposes shall be known as the "viaduct fund."

Section 723.15 | Proceeds of bond issue when authorized by election.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When the voters of a municipal corporation determine to issue bonds for the construction or repair of viaducts, or for the purchase or condemnation of the land necessary therefor, the authority to make the improvement is hereby conferred and the money arising from the sale of the bonds shall be expended in the same manner as provided in section 723.14 of the Revised Code.

Section 723.16 | Owner defined.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

"Owner," as used in sections 723.17 to 723.31, inclusive, of the Revised Code, includes the legal or equitable owner, the person in whose name the property may be assessed for taxation on the tax duplicate, a tenant giving satisfactory guaranty that the assessment against the property signed for will be paid, or the board of education having the control of any school property.

Section 723.17 | Petition for sprinkling streets.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, upon the petition of thirty-five per cent of the electors in such municipal corporation, certified by the mayor thereof to the legislative authority, may, by ordinance, provided for sprinkling with water any part of the streets, avenues, squares, and public places within the municipal corporation in the manner provided by sections 723.18 to 723.20, inclusive, of the Revised Code.

Section 723.18 | Sprinkling ordinance.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The ordinance of a municipal corporation under section 723.17 of the Revised Code, to provide for sprinkling, shall not become operative unless it has received the affirmative votes of two thirds of the members elected to the legislative authority of such municipal corporation.

Section 723.19 | Procurement.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Upon the certification of the petition and the passage of the ordinance as provided in sections 723.17 and 723.18 of the Revised Code, the board or officer having charge of the repair of streets in the municipal corporation may purchase the appliances and materials and employ the labor necessary to provide for sprinkling, or make contracts for all or any part thereof for periods not exceeding five years.

Section 723.20 | Tax levy for sprinkling - street railway companies to pay portion of cost.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

To provide a fund to pay the cost of the sprinkling under sections 723.17 to 723.19, inclusive, of the Revised Code, the board or officer having charge of the repair of streets in the municipal corporation, each year, may estimate the cost thereof and cause a tax to be levied for such purpose upon the general tax duplicate of the municipal corporation, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as other levies for municipal purposes, except that the levy may be in addition to the amount authorized for municipal purposes. Upon such estimate, the levy shall be made by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation. Street railway companies operating within such municipal corporation shall annually pay into the treasury of the municipal corporation one cent per lineal foot of track upon sprinkled streets as their part of the cost of such sprinkling.

Section 723.21 | Legislative authority may require street railway company to sprinkle its right of way.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may, by resolution, require any interurban or street railway company to sprinkle with water its right of way on any street, alley, or public highway, or any portion thereof lying within the limits of the municipal corporation.

Section 723.22 | Municipal corporation may contract for sprinkling.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Upon failure of any interurban or street railway company after sixty days' notice to the person having charge or management of such company in such municipal corporation to comply with the resolution referred to by section 723.21 of the Revised Code, a municipal corporation may sprinkle or contract therefor through its proper officials in accordance with the laws relating to contracts, and the cost thereof shall be charged against such company and shall be a lien upon all the real estate and leasehold interest of the company within the county in which such municipal corporation is situated. Such charge and cost together with a forfeiture of twenty-five dollars for each day of failure on the part of such company to sprinkle as required, may be collected in any court of competent jurisdiction, or the lien may be enforced in the manner provided by law.

All charges, costs, and forfeitures collected under this section shall be paid into the general fund of the municipal corporation, to be disposed of as the legislative authority thereof directs.

Section 723.23 | Surface treatment of streets.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Municipal corporations may treat the surface of streets, alleys, squares, and public roadways with calcium chloride, road oil, light coal tar products, light asphalts, or any other suitable light bituminous substances for the purpose of providing a temporary improvement in laying the dust on and preserving such surface. If it is desired by the legislative authority of a city to have such work performed by contract, such city shall proceed in accordance with sections 735.05 to 735.09, inclusive, of the Revised Code, and, in case of a charter city, pursuant to its charter.

For the purpose of this section necessary repairs to the streets of any village, the total cost of which is not more than one thousand dollars, shall be deemed as necessary for emergency repairs. The legislative authority of such village may authorize the making of all emergency repairs on all streets, bridges, and culverts in the village, and the village shall keep a supply of material on hand at all times for the purpose of making such repairs. Upon report to such legislative authority of any street needing immediate attention, the legislative authority shall, if it deems it an emergency repair, proceed at once to authorize such repairs by force account, without preparing plans, specifications, estimates of cost, or forms of contract.

The legislative authority of any such village may appropriate a sum of money each year sufficient to enable the village to carry out this section. Such sum shall constitute the "village emergency repair fund." All expenses incurred in employing extra help or in purchasing materials used in such repairs shall be paid from such fund on vouchers signed by the village clerk.

Section 723.31 | Treatment with oil regarded as a cleaning and repairing of streets and alleys.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The treatment with road oil, calcium chloride, light coal tar products, light asphalt, or light bituminous substances as provided by section 723.23 of the Revised Code shall be regarded as a cleaning and repairing of streets and alleys, and the municipal corporation's portion of the cost thereof may be paid from any fund available for the cleaning and repairing of streets or alleys. When the roadways of a public park are ordered to be so treated, the cost thereof may be paid from any fund available for the care or maintenance of such parks.

Section 723.32 | Surface treatment and sprinkling of streets by board of education.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Any board of education may provide by private contract for sprinkling with water, or treatment with any of the substances mentioned in section 723.23 of the Revised Code, of the surface of any street abutting on school property, and pay for such work the same as other contingent expenses.

Section 723.33 | Legislative authority may require bridge or railway to be lighted.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, when it deems it necessary to have a bridge or railways, or any part thereof, located in whole or in part in the municipal corporation, and owned, possessed, or operated by an individual, company, association, or corporation, lighted, shall pass an ordinance for that purpose requiring such individual, company, association, or corporation to light such bridge or railway within a specified time, but it shall not require such railway or portion thereof to be lighted with electric arc lights.

Section 723.34 | Specifications in lighting ordinance.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The ordinance mentioned in section 723.33 of the Revised Code shall specify the manner in which the bridge or railway shall be lighted, the number and style of lamp posts, gas posts, electric lights, or other lights and fixtures, and the time such lights shall be kept burning in each twenty-four hours. No such lights, poles, or fixtures, or any lights, poles, or fixtures located by any municipal corporation on its streets, alleys, or public grounds shall be required to be so placed as to interfere with a clear view of any fixed signal used in the operation of such railway from the points thereon where a clear view is required for safe operation. All lights, poles, or fixtures placed so as to interfere with such clear view shall, within a reasonable time, be relocated. This section does not excuse any railway company from lighting its bridges and tracks when required to do so, or from paying any reasonable assessment or charge therefor.

Section 723.35 | Notice of lighting requirement shall be given.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Notice of the requirement that a bridge or railway be lighted shall be given at least twenty days before any forfeiture or charge is imposed for default, and such notice may be given by delivering a written or printed copy of the ordinance to an owner or part owner, or any person having possession, charge or management of such bridge or railway. When such ordinance requires the lighting of a railway, service of such written or printed copy of the ordinance upon a ticket or freight agent of the railway company in such municipal corporation, and, if there is no such ticket or freight agent, upon any ticket or freight agent of the company in the county in which the municipal corporation is located, shall be sufficient, and shall charge the person, company, corporation, or partnership owning or operating such railway with notice of the passage of the ordinance and the requirements thereof.

Section 723.36 | Procedure on failure of owner to light bridge or railway.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

If the person, company, or corporation, owning, possessing, or operating a railway or bridge, neglects or fails to provide lighting in conformity with the ordinance under section 723.34 of the Revised Code for twenty days after notice under section 723.35 of the Revised Code, the legislative authority of the municipal corporation may immediately cause the lighting to be done at the expense of such person, company, or corporation.

Section 723.37 | Assessment for expense of lighting.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may direct the manner in which the expense of lighting a bridge or railway shall be assessed and collected. When so assessed, the amount shall be a debt due against and payable by the person, company, or corporation owning, possessing, or operating such bridge or railway, and shall be a lien, to be enforced as any other lien, on such bridge and the land on which it is built, or upon the real estate of the railway company or leasehold interest within the county in which such municipal corporation is located.

The charge for the expense of such lighting may be collected or the lien enforced in the manner provided for the assessment of damages and expenses for making public improvements.

Section 723.38 | Terms of construction and operation of street railway fixed by legislative authority.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

No corporation or individual shall perform any work in the construction of a street railway until application for permission is made in writing to the legislative authority of the municipal corporation, and until such legislative authority, by ordinance, has granted permission and prescribed the terms upon and the manner in which such railway shall be constructed and operated, and the streets and alleys to be used and occupied therefor. The legislative authority may renew any such grant at its expiration upon such conditions as are considered conducive to the public interest.

Section 723.39 | Notice required of application to establish street railway route.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Nothing mentioned in section 723.38 of the Revised Code shall be done, no ordinance or resolution to establish or define a street railway route shall be passed, no action inviting proposals to construct and operate such railway shall be taken by the legislative authority of a municipal corporation, and no ordinance for the purpose specified in such section shall be passed, until public notice of the application therefor has been given by the clerk of such legislative authority, once a week for at least three consecutive weeks in one or more of the daily papers published in such municipal corporation, if there be such, and if not, then in one or more weekly papers published therein.

Section 723.40 | Consent of property owners necessary.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

No grant for the construction of a street railway under section 723.38 of the Revised Code shall be made, except to the corporation or individual that agrees to carry passengers upon such proposed railway at the lowest rates of fare, and has previously obtained the written consent of a majority of the property holders upon each street or part thereof, on the line of the proposed railway, as represented by the foot frontage of the property abutting on the several streets along which such railway is proposed to be constructed. When, within the year preceding, a street railway has been operated upon such street or part thereof under a grant or renewal of a grant which has expired or will expire within two years, it shall not be necessary to obtain the consent of the property holders abutting thereon if the number of tracks on the street, public way, or part thereof, is not increased beyond the number for which consent was originally obtained.

Section 723.41 | Grant not valid for more than twenty-five years.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

No grant or renewal of a grant for the construction or operation of a street railway shall be valid for a greater period than twenty-five years from the date of such grant or renewal, and after such grant or renewal is made, whether by special or general ordinance, the municipal corporation shall not, during the term of the grant or renewal, release the grantee from any obligation or liability imposed by the terms of such grant or renewal.

Section 723.42 | Grade of streets when street railway is constructed.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Before a street railway is constructed on any street less than sixty feet in width, with a roadway of thirty-five feet or under, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation shall provide that the crown of the street shall be made a nearly flat uniform curve from curb to curb, without ditch gutters, and in such manner as to give wheeled vehicles the full use of the roadway up to the face of the curb. When the tracks of two street railways, or of a street railway and a railroad, cross each other at a convenient grade on a street, such crossings shall be made with crossing-frogs of the most approved pattern and materials, and shall be kept in repair at the joint expense of the companies owning such tracks.

Section 723.43 | Pavement of streets where railways are constructed.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may require any part of the track between the rails of any street railway constructed within the municipal corporation limits to be paved with stone, gravel, boulders, or wooden or asphaltic pavement, but beyond such limits paving between the rails with stone, boulders, or wooden or asphaltic pavement shall not be required.

Section 723.431 | Removal or repair of street railway.

• Effective: January 1, 1962
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 262 - 104th General Assembly

At the time of or subsequent to the adoption by the legislative authority of a municipal corporation of a resolution declaring it necessary to improve, pave, repave, surface, or resurface a street or other public thoroughfare, in which are located rails, ties, roadbed, or tracks owned or operated by a street railway company which have become worn out or defective, such legislative authority may by resolution declare the necessity of requiring such company, at the time the street or thoroughfare is torn up for such improvement to remove, renew, replace, repair, or reconstruct the rails, ties, roadbed, and tracks therein in accordance with the plans and specifications prepared by the engineer of such municipal corporation. Such plans and specifications, together with the engineer's estimate of the cost shall be on file and open to public inspection in the office of the clerk of the legislative authority.

A certified copy of such resolution, together with a written notice setting forth the time in which the company may file objections shall be sent to the company by certified mail. Such objections shall be heard by the legislative authority at the next regular meeting and the decision of the legislative authority shall be final.

If such objections are filed, and after holding such hearing, the legislative authority may, by ordinance, order and require that at the time at which the street or other public thoroughfare is torn up for such improvement, paving, repaving, surfacing, or resurfacing, the company owning or operating such rails, ties, roadbed, and tracks shall renew, replace, reconstruct, or repair them in accordance with the plans and specifications. Any modifications or corrections thereof that are made by the legislative authority and a certified copy of such ordinance shall be sent to such company by certified mail.

Section 723.44 | Extension of street railway may be granted.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may grant permission, by ordinance, to any corporation, individual, or company, owning or having the right to construct a street railway, to extend the track, subject to the laws relating to the construction, operation and extension of street railways, within or without, or partly within or without any municipal corporation, on any street where the legislative authority deems such extension beneficial to the public. The charge for carrying passengers on such extended railway and its connections made with any other railway, by consolidation, shall not be increased by reason of such extension or consolidation.

Section 723.45 | Franchises to interurban railways for the purpose of securing terminals.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may grant a franchise upon such terms as it prescribes for the building of any interurban railway having, constructing, or building ten miles or more of track outside of such municipal corporation, to any company using electric or other motive power, except steam, for the purpose of securing to such company access to or terminals within the municipal corporation. The legislative authority may authorize such company to build and construct tracks and to operate cars thereon, on any street, or parts of streets, of such municipal corporation, upon which tracks have not already been laid and where the consent of the owners of a majority foot frontage has already been obtained by such company.

Section 723.46 | Condemnation proceedings.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may permit an interurban railway company referred to in section 723.45 of the Revised Code to make use of the tracks or parts of the tracks of any existing street railway company within the limits of the municipal corporation by agreement with such existing company. If no such agreement can be arrived at, the interurban company may be authorized by such legislative authority to condemn the right to make use of the tracks of such existing street railway company, upon the payment of proper compensation. But the interurban company shall be permitted to condemn and make use of not more than one eighth of the trackage of such existing street railway company within the municipal corporation, or so much as is necessary to give the interurban company access to terminals within the municipal corporation or to enable it to secure a right of way over such tracks through the municipal corporation. The interurban company seeking permission to enter or pass through a municipal corporation shall not be required to submit to competitive bidding on such routes.

Section 723.47 | Term of grant.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

No grant or franchise shall be made to an interurban railway company for longer than twenty years, and no franchise so granted shall be used for the purpose of operating a municipal streetcar system.

Section 723.48 | Regulation of rate of speed.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may, when a railroad track is laid in the municipal corporation, by ordinance, regulate the speed of all locomotives and railroad cars within the municipal corporation limits. Such ordinance shall not require a rate of speed of less than four miles an hour, and in villages having a population of two thousand or less, it shall not require a rate of less than eight miles an hour. The municipal corporation authorities, by civil action, may recover from an engineer, conductor, or company violating such ordinance, not less than five nor more than fifty dollars for each offense.

Section 723.49 | Damage from excavation.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

If the owner or possessor of any lot or land in any municipal corporation digs, or causes to be dug, any cellar, pit, vault, or excavation, to a greater depth than nine feet below the curb of the street or streets on which such lot or land abuts, or, if there is no curb, below the established grade of the street or streets on which such lot or land abuts, or, if there is no curb or established grade, below the surface of the adjoining lots, and by such excavation he causes damage to any wall, house, or other building upon the lots adjoining thereto, such owner or possessor shall be liable, in a civil action, to the party injured, to the full amount of such damage. When there is a curb or established grade, the depth of such excavation, at any point thereof, shall be measured downward from the pitch line projected laterally over the lot or land, from and between the corresponding points in the nearest curb or established grade opposite the ends of such pitch line.

Section 723.50 | Depth of excavation allowable.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The owner or possessor of any lot or land in any municipal corporation may dig, or cause to be dug, any cellar, pit, or excavation, to the full depth of the foundation wall of any building upon adjoining lots, or to the full depth of nine feet below the established grade of the street or streets on which such lot abuts, without reference to the depth of adjoining foundation walls, without incurring the liability prescribed in section 723.49 of the Revised Code, and may, on thirty days' notice to adjoining owners, grade and improve the surface of any lot to correspond with the established grade of the street, streets, or alleys upon which such lot or land abuts, without incurring liability.

Section 723.51 | Municipal corporations may change streams and highways.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Any municipal corporation, when it is necessary in the construction and protection of wells, pumps, cisterns, aqueducts, water pipes, dams, reservoirs, reservoir sites, sewers, drains, sewage disposal or water purification plants, and water works, for supplying water to itself and its inhabitants or disposing of sewage, may relocate, straighten, change, or cross a road or stream, but shall, without unnecessary delay, place such road or stream in such condition as not to impair its usefulness.

Section 723.52 | Estimate of cost of construction by force account - competitive bidding - rejection of bids.

• Effective: June 30, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 23 - 135th General Assembly

Before letting or making any contract for the construction, reconstruction, widening, resurfacing, or repair of a street or other public way, the director of public service in a city, or the legislative authority in a village, shall make an estimate of the cost of such work using the force account project assessment form developed by the auditor of state under section 117.16 of the Revised Code. In municipal corporations having an engineer, or an officer having a different title but the duties and functions of an engineer, the estimate shall be made by the engineer or other officer. Where the total estimated cost of any such work is seventy thousand dollars or less, the proper officers may proceed by force account.

Where the total estimated cost of any such work exceeds seventy thousand dollars, the proper officers of the municipal corporation shall be required to invite and receive competitive bids for furnishing all the labor, materials, and equipment and doing the work, after newspaper advertisement as provided by law. The officers shall consider and may reject such bids. If the bids are rejected, the officers may order the work done by force account or direct labor. When such bids are received, considered, and rejected, and the work done by force account or direct labor, such work shall be performed in compliance with the plans and specifications upon which the bids were based. It shall be unlawful to divide a street or connecting streets into separate sections for the purpose of defeating this section and section 723.53 of the Revised Code.

On the first day of July of every year beginning in 2024, the threshold amount established in this section shall increase by an amount not to exceed the lesser of five per cent, or the percentage amount of any increase in the department of transportation's construction cost index as annualized and totaled for the prior calendar year. The director of transportation shall notify each appropriate engineer or other officer of the increased amount.

"Street," as used in such sections, includes portions of connecting streets on which the same or similar construction, reconstruction, widening, resurfacing, or repair is planned or projected.

Last updated April 27, 2023 at 12:38 PM

Section 723.53 | Account of cost of construction by force account or direct labor.

• Effective: June 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 74 - 134th General Assembly

Where the proper officers of any municipal corporation construct, reconstruct, widen, resurface, or repair a street or other public way by force account or direct labor, and the estimated cost of the work as defined in section 723.52 of the Revised Code exceeds the amount specified in that section, such municipal authorities shall cause to be kept by the engineer of the municipal corporation, or other officer or employee of the municipal corporation in charge of such work, a complete and accurate account, in detail, of the cost of doing the work. The account shall include labor, materials, freight, fuel, hauling, overhead expense, workers' compensation premiums, and all other items of cost and expense, including a reasonable allowance for the use of all tools and equipment used on or in connection with such work and for the depreciation on the tools and equipment. The engineer or other officer or employee shall keep such account, and within ninety days after the completion of any such work shall prepare a detailed and itemized statement of such cost and file the statement with the officer or board vested with authority to direct the doing of the work in question. Such officer or board shall thereupon examine the statement, correct it if necessary, and file it in the office of the officer or board. Such statement shall be kept on file for not less than two years and shall be open to public inspection.

This section and section 723.52 of the Revised Code do not apply to any municipal corporations having a charter form of government.

Last updated April 9, 2021 at 1:19 PM

Section 723.54 | Inspection of bridges.

• Effective: June 30, 2021
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 74 - 134th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipality shall designate a municipal official to have responsibility for inspection of all or portions of bridges within such municipality, except for bridges on the state highway system and the county highway system.

This section does not prohibit the municipality from inspecting any bridge within its limits.

Such inspection shall be made by a professional engineer or other qualified person under the supervision of a professional engineer on a schedule established by the director of transportation, but at least once every twenty-four months, or more frequently if required by the legislative authority, in accordance with the manual of bridge inspection described in section 5501.47 of the Revised Code. The legislative authority may contract for inspection services.

The municipal official responsible for inspection shall maintain an updated inventory record of all bridges in the municipality and indicate on such inventory record who is responsible for inspection and maintenance, and the authority for such responsibilities.

The official shall report the condition of all bridges to the municipal legislative authority not later than sixty days after the official's inspection, or shall report more frequently if required by the legislative authority. Any bridge for which the municipality has inspection or maintenance responsibility which, at any time, is found to be in a condition that is or may be a potential danger to life or property shall be identified in reports, and if such official determines that the condition of such a bridge represents an immediate danger the official shall immediately report the condition to the legislative authority. With respect to those bridges where there exists joint maintenance responsibility, the municipal official shall furnish a copy of the official's report to each party responsible for a share of maintenance.

"Maintenance" as used in this section means actual performance of maintenance work.

Last updated April 9, 2021 at 1:19 PM

Section 723.55 | Restriction upon contract to construct or repair bridges.

• Effective: June 11, 1968
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 480 - 107th General Assembly

A municipality shall not contract for or undertake construction or repair of a bridge, for which the cost of such work exceeds fifty thousand dollars, unless the plans are prepared or approved by a professional engineer qualified in the designing of bridges.