Explanation
BACKGROUND: This Ordinance amends various Sections of Title 29 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, which deals with the regulation of Weights and Measures.
The Weights and Measures Section of the Department of Public Safety currently performs price verification tests at grocery markets, retail outlets, department stores and other establishments. The Columbus City Code does not address the subject of a fee for the Universal Pricing Code (UPC) price verification tests. The purpose of this ordinance is to propose that all business establishments that verify pricing by a UPC scanning device be assessed a fee after proper inspection for accuracy. According to the City Extra Annual Metro Data Book, there are over 2,800 retail establishments in the City of Columbus and over 96 percent of these businesses use scanners for verifying shelf prices or prices otherwise posted. Weights and Measures has averaged approximately 80 scanner inspections per year since 2005 and has documented failure rates averaging approximately 42 percent per year. Finally, this legislation introduces fees for nine new devices and two inspection fees that are not listed in the Columbus City Code as weighing and measuring devices, namely Vehicle On Board Weighing Systems, Pet Washes, Air Hoses, Reverse Vending Machines, CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) Devices, LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) Devices, Electrical Vehicle Charging Devices, Price Verification Inspections, Packaging Inspection Lots, LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) Meters and Parking Meters, as well as increases to many of the current inspection fees already listed in the City Code.
FISCAL IMPACT: Increasing existing fees and the introduction of new fees for some inspections and devices may generate approximately $173,000.00 in additional revenue. Weights and Measures generated total revenues of approximately $346,000 in 2012 and $356,000 in 2013.
Title
To amend various sections of Title 29 of the Columbus City Code in order...
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