Effective: July 17, 2009
Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 128th General Assembly
(A) If a board of township trustees by a unanimous vote or, in the event of the unavoidable absence of one trustee, by an affirmative vote of two trustees adopts a resolution declaring that an emergency exists that threatens life or property within the unincorporated territory of the township or that such an emergency is imminent, the board may exercise the powers described in divisions (A)(1) and (2) and (B) of this section during the emergency for a period of time not exceeding six months following the adoption of the resolution. The resolution shall state the specific time period for which the emergency powers are in effect.
(1) If an owner of an undedicated road or stream bank in the unincorporated territory of the township has not provided for the removal of snow, ice, debris, or other obstructions from the road or bank, the board may provide for that removal. Prior to providing for the removal, the board shall give, or make a good faith attempt to give, oral notice to the owner or owners of the road or bank of the board's intent to clear the road or bank and to impose a service charge for doing so. The board shall establish just and equitable service charges for the removal to be paid, except as provided in division (B) of this section, by the owners of the road or bank.
The board shall keep a record of the costs incurred by the township in removing snow, ice, debris, or other obstructions from the road or bank. The service charges shall be based on these costs and shall be in an amount sufficient to recover these costs. If there is more than one owner of the road or bank, the board, except as provided in division (B) of this section, shall allocate the service charges among the owners on an equitable basis. The board shall notify, in writing, each owner of the road or bank of the amount of the service charges and shall certify the charges to the county auditor. The service charges shall constitute a lien upon the property. The auditor shall place the service charges on a special duplicate to be collected as other taxes and returned to the township general fund.
(2) The board may contract for the immediate acquisition, replacement, or repair of equipment needed for the emergency situation, without following the competitive bidding requirements of section 5549.21 or any other section of the Revised Code.
(B) In lieu of collecting service charges from owners for the removal of snow or ice from an undedicated road by the board of township trustees as provided in division (A)(1) of this section, the board may enter into a contract with a developer whereby the developer agrees to pay the service charges for the snow and ice removal instead of the owners.
(C) The removal of snow, ice, debris, or other obstructions from an undedicated road by a board of township trustees acting pursuant to a resolution adopted under division (A) of this section does not constitute approval or acceptance of the undedicated road.
(D) As used in this section, "undedicated road" means a road that has not been approved and accepted by the board of county commissioners and is not a part of the state, county, or township road systems as provided in section 5535.01 of the Revised Code.
(E) Nothing in this section shall be construed to waive the requirement under section 1547.82 of the Revised Code that approval of plans be obtained from the director of natural resources or the director's representative prior to modifying or causing the modification of the channel of any watercourse in a wild, scenic, or recreational river area outside the limits of a municipal corporation.