MANSFIELD — Mansfield has used funds derived from the PRIDE tax for more than a decade to demolish and clean up deteriorated and dilapidated buildings.
The question has often been what steps the city can take to stop structures in Mansfield from reaching the point they need to be demolished.
City Council on Tuesday is expected to hear Mayor Jodie Perry’s plan to adopt the International Property Maintenance Code, a set of regulations developed to establish minimum standards for the maintenance of existing residential and commercial buildings.
The proposal is scheduled for discussion Tuesday at 6:25 p.m. during a council zoning committee meeting.
Adrian Ackerman, the city’s community development and housing director, said the code will help the city act more proactively to avoid future blight, beyond what the current codes adopted in the 1970s will allow.
“It’s a code that’s going to act as a prevention tool, to hopefully eliminate a lot of the substandard property conditions if we can stay ahead of it,” Ackerman said.
The issue is scheduled for discussion, not a vote, on Tuesday evening. Ackerman said the plan is to follow a schedule of three readings for local lawmakers, unless lawmakers choose otherwise.
Creators of the IPMC have said its stated aims are to ensure buildings are safe, sanitary and in good repair.
The IPMC is typically adopted by local governments to regulate the condition of properties, promoting the health, safety, and well-being of residents. The code covers various aspects of property maintenance, including:
- Structural Integrity – Ensuring buildings are safe and stable.
- Sanitation – Requirements for waste management, water supply, and pest control.
- Lighting and Ventilation – Standards for natural light, ventilation, and electrical systems.
- Exteriors and Grounds – Maintenance of building exteriors, including roofing, walls, windows, and doors, as well as the surrounding grounds, including landscaping and drainage.
- Fire Safety – Measures for fire prevention, such as safe egress, fire alarms, and fire-resistant materials.
The IMPC, which was created in 1998, has not been applied statewide, though it has been implemented in several states, including Maryland, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as many local governments in 31 other states. It’s updated every three years.
Other cities and communities in Ohio have adopted the IMPC or similar codes, including metros like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Akron and Toledo, as well as smaller cities such as Canton, Salem and Oregon.
One example, according to Ackerman, could be as simple as ensuring properly installed rain gutters on a building. The lack of such gutters could lead to future foundation problems for the home or business.
Ackerman said the city’s goal is not to quickly rush out and begin issuing citations.
“It gives us the ability to (tell property owners when there are problems). It also allows our inspectors to identify things with commercial properties, whereas our current code only is residential,” she said.
“It gives us more tools to identify problems before they end up in condemnation or demolition,” Ackerman said.
“We want to be proactive, rather than reactive.”
She said the IMPC does not set the bar too high for current property owners.
“We are not bringing in requirements that are unobtainable here locally right now. These are very basic for property maintenance,” Ackerman said.
Beefing up the number of code inspectors in the city is not in the immediate future.
“We still just have our two primary inspectors that are able to work on city code (issues),” Ackerman said. “We do have our two other state-certified inspectors that can also identify things off a building (for) residential or building code.
“They are primarily working in demolitions or permit inspections, but we can call on them if we need to,” Ackerman said.
“I think there is a desire to add more inspectors (in the future),” she said.
A claims committee meeting is scheduled Tuesday at 6:45 p.m.
City Council caucus is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. with the legislative session following immediately thereafter.
Local lawmakers continue to meet in Mansfield Municipal Courtroom 1, while council chambers is being renovated. Residents planning to attend should park in the upper lot off Park Avenue and enter through the Park Avenue entrance.
(Below is a PDF showing legislation scheduled for consideration on Tuesday night by Mansfield City Council.)
