Title
Notice/Advertisement Title: General Rules and Regulations for City Code, Chapter 906
Contact Name: Andrew Williams
Contact Telephone Number: 614-645-5080
Contact Email Address: ANWilliamsjr@columbus.gov <mailto:ANWilliamsjr@columbus.gov>
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GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR
CITY CODE, CHAPTER 906
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE
CITY OF COLUMBUS, OHIO
SUBJECT: NON-COMMERCIAL OCCUPANCY IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY AND TEMPORARY COMMERICAL ZONES
EFFECTIVE DATE: 7/21/2025
RULE:
All governmental agencies, companies, corporations, and individuals wishing to occupy any street, sidewalk, alley, or public right-of-way of the City of Columbus for any purpose other than construction activity shall obtain the consent of the Director of Public Service or designee. Such consent shall be in writing as set forth in the rules of this regulation.
INDEX:
1 General Provisions
1.1 Authority
2 Type of Permits
2.1 Street Occupancy Permits
2.2 Sidewalk Occupancy Permits
2.3 Temporary Commercial Zone Permit
3 Paid Parking Out of Services Fees
4 Temporary Commercial Zone Parking Closures
5 Permits Not Issued For
6 Application and Review
7 Review and Approval
7.1 Review
7.2 Application Approval or Denial; Appeal
7.3 Permit Expiration
8 Liability
9 High Impact Areas
10 Form of Application or Request for Permit
10.1 Non-Commercial Occupancy Permit
10.2 Temporary Commercial Zone Occupancy Permit
11 Fees
12 Obligations of the Permit Holder
12.1 Traffic Control
12.2 Monitoring of Site
12.3 Maintenance of Site
12.4 Special Duty Police Officers
13 Penalty
1. General Provisions:
1.1 Authority: Chapter 906 of the Columbus City Code requires any person as defined under Section 900.052 desiring to occupy public right-of-way for any non-commercial, or temporary commercial zone purpose to first obtain a permit. Such permits are issued by the Director of Public Service or designee, in accordance with the provisions of this regulation.
2. Type of Permits: There are three (3) types of permits for occupying the public right-of-way:
2.1 Street Occupancy Permits: This type of permit is needed when it is necessary to occupy the right-of-way of any public street or alley.
2.2 Sidewalk Occupancy Permits: This type of permit is needed when it is necessary to occupy the right-of-way of any sidewalk. Pedestrian access must be maintained at all times with a minimum of six (6) feet of clearance at all times.
2.3 Temporary Commercial Zone Permits: This type of permit is needed when it is necessary to occupy the right of way of any sidewalk or valid parking spot for the purpose of conducting commercial activity, including mobile food vending.
3. Paid Parking Out of Services Fees: Whenever the work being performed requires paid parking to be removed from service, the agency requesting the permit shall be responsible for paying the daily lost parking revenue for each paid parking space removed from service. The permit application shall include the meter and/or kiosk number(s), the mobile pay zone number(s) and the number of spaces to be removed from service.
When the activity requires the temporary removal of the meter or kiosk, or it is determined by the City that they need to be removed, a meter and/or kiosk removal fee shall also be charged. These fees shall be paid at the time the permit is issued. Lost parking revenue fees are determined by multiplying the daily lost revenue for each space by the number of spaces to be removed by the number of days the parking is to be removed from service. To determine the daily lost revenue, multiply the hourly rate by the number of hours the space is enforced each day. The applicant is required to pay the full daily lost revenue for each space as if the meter was occupied for all enforcement hours.
• Parking Meter Removal Fee: $60.00 per meter plus the daily lost revenue for the time each meter is out of service.
• Parking Kiosk Removal Fee: $350.00 per kiosk plus the daily lost revenue for the time each kiosk is out of service.
Any parking meter(s) to be hooded on a Sunday or city observed holidays when parking is fa $4.00 per meter hooding fee is assessed up to one-hundred (100) parking meters. Parking meters that require over one-hundred (100) to be hooded will be charged an hourly rate for the actual cost of personnel time for hooding each meter. City observed holidays are: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous People Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Any vehicle parked within a paid parking space removed from service must clearly display the original occupancy permit on the dash of each vehicle or the vehicle(s) risks receiving a parking infraction. All other vehicles within the closure limits will be subject to parking restrictions identical to those of loading zones, which allows for active loading and/or unloading of materials and freight.
Permit applications seeking to occupy a paid parking area, other than parking meters, may be required to submit to the Department of Public Service a detailed drawing delineating the size and precise location where pay zone occupancy is being requested.
All requests to remove paid parking from service within the public right-of-way shall conform with the Department of Public Service’s, Requests for On-Street Parking Out of Service policy. Violations of this policy shall also be a violation of these rules and regulations.
The City may limit the approved use of the right-of-way at any time due to unforeseen operational circumstances, but shall make every reasonable effort to alleviate the effects of any such limitation.
4. Temporary Commercial Zone Parking Closures
4.1 In a residential zone or commercial zone, no temporary commercial zone permit shall be effective for more than three (3) consecutive days without written approval from the Director or designee.
4.2 In a congestion zone, no temporary commercial zones permit shall be effective for more than one (1) day without written approval from the Director or designee.
4.3 In a congestion zone, no more than three (3) total permits shall be issued for the same day without written approval from the Director or designee.
4.4 No individual or organization shall cause or allow the operation of a mobile food vending unit in the public right-of-way or in any city-owned and operated public parking facilities, as prohibited by Title 5 of Columbus City Codes, 1959, without first obtaining a Mobile Food Vending License and Right of Way Permit.
4.5 The Department, the Columbus Division of Police and the Columbus Division of Fire may temporarily suspend a temporary commercial zone permit parking if the public right-of-way is needed for an emergency or temporary use, including, but not limited to, the construction, maintenance, or repair of a street or utility or special event.
4.6 The applicant will follow all rules and regulations in Section 3 of this document for paid parking spaces.
4.7 The temporary commercial zone permit must be visible and displayed on the front dash of each vehicle.
4.8 No permit shall be issued on any street or area that is a no stopping or loading zone.
4.9 At no time shall the permitted vender be allowed to park on a sidewalk or drive over the curb.
5. Permits Not Issued For:
• Vehicle storage on City right-of-way within High Impact Areas (as defined by Section 9)
• Structures over two-hundred (200) square feet
• Heating or cooling devices in the public right-of-way
• Any type of camping or open cooking
6. Application and Review: Requests for occupancy permits shall be made through the Director of Public Service or designee. All requests shall be on forms approved by the Director of Public Service or designee and shall conform to all rules and regulations in this chapter. No occupancy may begin until the necessary permit has been issued.
Requests to occupy the right-of-way of any improved or unimproved street, sidewalk, shared use path, alley or public way shall be submitted at least five (5) business days prior to an event. When the applicant is requesting a full street or lane closure, the request shall be submitted at least ten (10) business days in advance.
7. Review and Approval: Each permit request shall be reviewed as indicated below and is subject to approval by the Director of Public Service or designee.
7.1 Review: All occupancy permit applications shall be reviewed by the Director of Public Service or designee, and the Traffic Bureau Division of the Columbus Police Department.
7.2 Application Approval or Denial; Appeal: Applications for permits shall be processed in order of receipt by the Director of Public Service or designee.
The Director of Public Service or designee shall decide whether to grant or deny a permit, or a request for an extension of time within five (5) business days of receipt of appeal. Such time may be extended an additional five (5) business days if written notice provided to applicant.
If the Director of Public Service or designee denies an application, the applicant must be notified by email or in writing stating the grounds for denial. Denial of an application or extension of time may be appealed in writing to the Director of Public Service or designee within ten (10) business days of the date of the denial. The Director of Public Service or designee shall decide appeal within seven (7) business days of receipt of the appeal and shall notify the applicant of the decision by email or in writing within (7) business days.
The Director of Public Service or designee Division may deny an application for a permit for one or more of the following reasons:
1) The applicant or the person on whose behalf the application for permit was made has made prior material misrepresentations regarding the nature or size of the structure, associated use or activity, or has violated the terms of prior permits issued to or on behalf of the applicant;
2) The application for permit (including any required attachments and submissions) is not fully completed and executed;
3) The applicant has not tendered the required application fee with the application;
4) The application contains a material falsehood or misrepresentation;
5) The applicant is legally incompetent to contract or to sue and be sued;
6) The applicant or the person on whose behalf the application for permit was made has on prior occasion damaged City property and has not paid in full for such damage, or has other outstanding and unpaid debts to the City, or at the discretion of the Director due to repeated damage and violations;
7) At the discretion of the Director of Public Service or designee a fully executed application for a permit for the same time and place has previously been received, and a permit has been or will be granted to the prior applicant authorizing a structure associated with a use or activity which does not reasonably allow multiple occupancy of the place requested in the application;
8) Any use or activity by the applicant associated with the proposed structure that would conflict with a previously planned use or activity organized and conducted by the City and previously scheduled for the same time and place;
9) At the discretion of the Director of Public Service or designee the proposed structure, associated use, or activity would present an unreasonable danger to the health or safety of the public or would be otherwise prohibited by law, including but not limited to any applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
In no event may any application be denied or conditions placed on any permit issued based on the content of any speech or communicative activity associated with the proposed structure or occupancy.
7.3 Permit Expiration: Permits shall be issued for the time period necessary to conduct the activity in accordance with these regulations. No permit shall be issued for a period longer than five (5) consecutive calendar days. No permit will be issued back-to-back or consecutively. An applicant who is issued an initial permit may receive a subsequent permit for the same time and area one (1) calendar day after the date of expiration of the previous permit for the same time and area, provided the applicant meets all other rules and regulations. Applicants for subsequent permits for the same time and area will be subject to a priority given to a new applicant for the same time and area. The five (5) consecutive calendar day time limit for permits may be extended by the Director of Public Service or designee upon request of the permit holder and for good cause shown.
8. Liability: The issuance of an Occupancy Permit does not relieve the permit holder from liability for any damage that might occur to the Public right-of-way, street, sidewalk, the public, or personal property while engaging in activities authorized by the permit.
9. High Impact Areas: For purposes of this regulation, High Impact Areas are defined below:
• Downtown Business District
• Construction Areas
• Arterial Streets (Arterial streets are those listed on the current City of Columbus Thoroughfare Plan).
10. Form of Application or Request for Permit:
10.1 Non-Commercial Occupancy Permit: requests shall contain, but not be limited to, the following information:
• Name of applicant making request
• Address of applicant
• Contact name and phone number (24-hour emergency number is needed)
• Location of event or activity - street address number if applicable (permits issued per location, not per structure)
• Days needed (3 days maximum)
• Proposed hours for event
• Purpose of request
• Start date
• Traffic control needs
• Parking meter numbers, Kiosks, and Mobile Pay Parking Zone Charges (see Section 3)
Note: The requestor of this permit must use the application designated by the City of Columbus
10.2 Temporary Commercial Zone Occupancy permit: requests shall contain, but not limited to, the following information:
• The applicant has met the requirements of the temporary commercial zone application and paid the required fees;
• The applicant has submitted a petition bearing the signatures of eighty (80) percent of the property owners or tenants, or building managers whose property adjoins the side(s) of the public street affected by the permit. A petition with less than the required signatures may be accepted provided the applicant has demonstrated a good faith effort in attempting to contact the property owners or tenants or building managers who did not sign the petition;
• The applicant has executed the indemnity agreement required under Section 909.08;
• The applicant has presented proof of current and valid permits or licenses otherwise required for the type of commercial activity proposed to be conducted in the public right of way;
• The applicant has agreed to otherwise abide by the relevant rules and regulations regarding such commercial activity;
• The applicant is not delinquent on any taxes, citations, or other obligations to the city or county; and
• The department of public service has made a determination that the public health, safety or welfare will not be negatively impacted upon the granting or renewal of such a permit.
11. Fees: All applicants shall pay a fee as set forth below to cover the administrative costs of issuing the permit and performing an inspection of the site. All fees are to be paid at the time the permit is obtained. These fees are non-refundable.
• Application Fee Non-Commercial Occupancy: $60.00
• Application Fee Temporary Commercial Zone: $120.00
• Paid Parking Out of Service Fee: various, depending on the space to be removed from service
• Emergency No Parking Signs: $.75 each
Note: The City’s application for auto-calculating fees is online and available upon request (colspermits@columbus.gov <mailto:colspermits@columbus.gov> or 614-645-7497)
12. Obligations of the Permit Holder:
12.1 Traffic Control: Traffic control devices shall be furnished, erected, maintained, and removed by the permit holder in accordance with guidelines published in the manual of Traffic Control for Construction and Maintenance Operations current revision. Copies are available at the Ohio Department of Transportation, located at 1980 West Broad Street. Any specific condition attached to the permit by the Director of Public Service or designee shall take precedence over the manual.
12.2 Monitoring of Site: No structure or personal property used for an event or activity, to include shelter tents, chairs and tables, may remain in the public right-of-way unattended, and in no case may remain in the public right-of-way between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. unless the street is closed under the authority of a block party permit. These hours may be extended by the Director of Public Service or designee upon request of the permit holder.
12.3 Maintenance of Site: It shall be the responsibility of the permit holder to provide all materials and services necessary to maintain the permit area in a clean, safe and sanitary condition. These materials include but are not limited to: trash receptacles, portable restroom facilities, and snow and ice removal with pre-approved materials by the Director of Public Service or designee. The permit holder shall be responsible for any actual costs or damages incurred by the City as a result of the use of the right-of-way, including but not limited to, reimbursement, at the city employees' regular hourly rates, for time spent by city employees removing debris or repairing damage resulting from the event.
12.4 Special Duty Police Officers: When required by the permit, or if required by the City’s Public Service or Safety Director, the permit holder shall be responsible for hiring and paying for the services of Uniformed Special Duty Police Officers. Police officers shall be required at all times when event activities are at or near street intersections. The City of Columbus will determine the number of officers required. The determination as to the need and number of any special duty officers shall be made solely on the basis of traffic control, which basis shall be specified and communicated by email or in writing to the applicant by the City official making the determination. An officer may be obtained by calling (614) 645-4795.
13. Penalty: Whoever violates any provision of Chapter 906 of the Columbus City Code shall be deemed guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor and fined not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or imprisoned for not more than six (6) months, or both. Any such violation shall constitute a separate offense on each successive day continued, in accordance with Columbus City Code, Section 906.99. Whoever violates any provision of this policy shall also be subject to the penalties outlined within Chapter 908.
The City may limit the approved use of the right-of-way at any time due to unforeseen operational circumstances, but shall make every reasonable effort to alleviate the effects of any such limitation.
Note of clarification: This chapter is not intended for remediation of issues, and or situations pertaining to those who are unhoused or unsheltered.
BY ORDER:
KELLY SCOCCO, DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE