Office: 753.1314 | Police & Fire Emergency: 9 1 1
Police Non-Emergency: 753.1922 or 753.1736
Fire Non-Emergency: 753.1244

If a complaint is filed and valid, a violation notice will be issued to the owner. If violations exist, a violation notice is issued giving the property owner time to make corrections. If violations are not corrected in consultation with the Department of Law, legal proceedings can be initiated against the property owner.


A. No Residential Householder or Commercial User shall permit to accumulate upon a premise any refuse or rubbish except in suitable covered containers provided by the Residential Householder or Commercial User and approved by the City Manager, except for the day of pick-up when plastic or paper bags may be appropriate. All refuse and rubbish shall be kept in leak proof containers. All refuse and rubbish shall be drained of liquids and stored in paper or plastic bags. All containers shall be washed and treated with a disinfectant as often as necessary to prevent nuisance by the Residential Householder or Commercial User to whom the same belongs. Grass clippings, tree trimmings, and other vegetative debris determined to be yard waste shall be bagged for pick-up in accordance with the terms of the franchise agreement or shall be considered as special rubbish.


Putrefying or malodorous refuse within or without containers or if dumped in the open is declared a public nuisance. Refuse, rubbish or special rubbish stored in receptacles or containers or in piles on the premises in possession of the party responsible therefore for a period exceeding seven (7) days is declared a public nuisance. The person responsible for either or both types of nuisance shall be liable to prosecution under the provisions of this chapter.


A. It is hereby determined that noxious weeds, vines or grasses growing a height of eight (8) inches or higher upon property, lots or parcels in the City of Nelsonville after the first day of April of each year are a public nuisance and that the accumulation and deposition of litter on public or private lands, dead or dying trees, broken or fallen branches and plants or shrubbery blocking visibility or encumbering access constitute a public health and safety hazard at all times. Annual notice of such may be published in a newspaper of general circulation in Athens County stating the violation, remedies, costs and penalties effective April 1 through October 31 for weeds, vines and/or grass and at any time for litter, refuse, rubbish, special rubbish, trees, branches and shrubbery.


A. No person shall deposit or permit to be deposited any garbage or refuse matter which may become offensive, noxious or dangerous to the public health, on his own premises or any premises under his control, or deposit such garbage or refuse matter in any back lot, public ground, or vacant lot, park, alley, street or areaway, or in any other place within the City, except as is otherwise provided by law.


A. No person, firm or corporation shall keep, store, place or allow to remain any used building materials, unlicensed motor vehicles, motor vehicles in an inoperative condition, motor vehicle parts, scrap metal, refuse or rubbish on any lot, lots or parts of lots, or parcels of land within the corporate limits of the City of Nelsonville.

B. The provisions of division (A) hereof shall not apply to an unlicensed motor vehicle, a motor vehicle in an inoperative condition, a motor vehicle unfit for further use, an automobile and/or automobile parts which are kept within an enclosed building.

C. In the event of a violation of this section, the City Manager shall cause notice to be given to the owner of the lots and lands, occupant or person having charge of the premises upon which the violation occurs, to cease such violation within ten (10) days of such notice.

D. In the event that the owner, occupant or person having charge of said premises, fails to cause such violation to cease within ten (10) days of said notice, said person shall be deemed guilty of violation of this section and shall be subject to the penalty provided herein. Each separate day in which the offense continues shall be deemed a separate offense.

E. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no person or persons shall purchase used building materials and place or store them on any lot, lots, parts of lots, or parcels of lots, unless such materials are to be used by the purchaser or owner in construction on the same lot owned or controlled by such persons. Such materials shall not remain on said lot or part of lot for a period of more than thirty (30) days unless the construction or operation plan for the use of said materials are used or commenced; and provided further that such materials are used or consumed in the construction or removed from the premises within one hundred twenty (120) days from the time said materials were first placed on the lot, lots or parts of lots. No person or persons shall move any such used building materials so stored and placed to another location within the City for the purpose of avoiding the intent of this section unless such materials are used within ten (10) days at the lot or lots to which they removed for the construction of a building or buildings for which a permit has been properly issued by the City Manager. (2) In the event that such building materials are permitted to remain on the premises beyond the period set forth in the section immediately preceding, the City Manager or his/her designee shall cause notice to be given as foresaid in paragraph (C) hereof.


No person shall place or dispose of in any manner any garbage, waste, or peelings of vegetables or fruits, rubbish, ashes, cans, bottles, wire, paper, cartons, boxes, parts of automobiles, wagons, furniture, glass, oil, or anything else of an unsightly or unsanitary nature along or near or on any public road, street, parkway, park drive, highway, ditch, or any land adjoining any public road of highway or ditch, except on land provided by a zoning commission, city ordinance, or other governmental authority, unless directed to do so by public officials on special clean up days.


A. All exterior property areas and premises located within the City of Nelsonville shall be maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary condition, free from any accumulation of rubbish, special rubbish, refuse or garbage or otherwise in violation of Nelsonville City Code §5.02.03, §5.02.12, §9.14.03 and/or §9.14.12 or other applicable sections as herein established or amended.


No person shall lease, rent, or cause to be occupied a residential rental unit until first obtaining a certificate of registration issued by the City Manager or his/her designee in the name of the owner and designated agent for that specific residential dwelling unit. The certificate shall be retained by the owner or designated agent and a copy provided to any tenant or prospective tenant prior to occupancy. In the case of a written lease, a copy of the certificate of registration shall be incorporated in or attached to the lease agreement.


Any person, property owner, rental company, or agent, which is offering property for human habitation in the City of Nelsonville, Ohio shall pay a registration fee and apply for a rental permit. Upon proper application, the City Manager or any employee designated by the City Manager shall issue a rental permit for a period of one (1) year. No person, agent, company, or corporation shall rent property without a valid permit.


All rental buildings, dwellings, and dwelling units, offered for rent or lease, shall be maintained in good repair. No owner, operator, or agent shall rent or lease or offer for rental or lease any dwelling unit, or any part thereof, which does not comply with the provisions of this title


The purpose of this Ordinance is to provide for the posting of building numbers to enhance the easy and rapid location of properties for the delivery of public safety and emergency services, postal delivery and business delivery in the City of Nelsonville.


A. No person shall allow a dog under his or her control to be upon public property or upon property of another, absent the consent of the owner or occupant of such property, without some device for the removal and the containment of the dog’s feces; nor shall any person fail to remove any feces deposited by any dog under his or her control on public or private property. This regulation shall not apply to guide dogs under the control of a blind person.

B. No person shall place, deposit, or permit to be deposited any dog feces in any unsanitary manner on public or private property within this City or in any area under the jurisdiction of this City. C. No owner, keeper, or harborer, of any dog shall permit such dog to go beyond the premises of such owner, keeper, or harborer unless the dog id securely on a leash or under the control of some person, or is on a conveyance for travel, such as an automobile or a truck, or is confined to a travel crate or carrying case, so as to prevent the dog from being or creating a nuisance as defined herein. No owner, keeper, or harborer of any dog shall permit the dog to run at large within the limits of this City. As used herein, “owner, keeper, or harborer” means a person who owner, provides shelter for or cares for a dog, or otherwise has control of or is responsible for such dog.


All buildings presently located within the City of Nelsonville, Athens County, Ohio which are vacant, as defined in this chapter, or which hereafter become vacant, shall be registered by the owner thereof with the City Manager or his/her designated representative within thirty (30) days of being or becoming a vacant structure.


I. It shall be unlawful for any person, operator or owner of property to discharge or deposit any leaves, weeds, grass clippings, cigarette butts or anything of an unsightly or unsanitary nature onto any street, sidewalk, gutter, catch basin or highway.

or barricades.

F. It shall be the duty of the owner, or occupant of each and every parcel of real estate in the City abutting upon a sidewalk to keep said sidewalk abutting his premises free and clear of snow and ice, and to remove there from all snow and ice accumulated thereon within a reasonable time, which will ordinarily not exceed twelve (12) hours, after the abatement of any storm during which said snow and ice may have accumulated.


Please contact our Code Enforcement Officer if you have any questions or concerns, 8 AM - 4 PM, Monday - Friday, at (740) 753-1314 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.