Updated COVID-19 GuidelinesLearn More

Cleveland Facade Ordinance

How you can ensure compliance for your buildings in Cleveland

learn more
sullivan-engineering-cleveland-facade

CLEVELAND FACADE ORDINANCE OVERVIEW

The city of Cleveland issued an ordinance requiring regular façade inspections of its buildings.

To maintain and ensure that a building’s exterior walls and appurtenances are in a safe condition, the following requirements will apply to all buildings that are at least five stories or seventy-five feet above grade, whichever is shorter.

This section shall not apply to one-, two- or three-family residential buildings:

  • Inspection Requirements – The owner of the structure must conduct an inspection of the condition of the exterior and appurtenances at a minimum of once every five years.

FIlING REQUIREMENTS

Inspection Report: The owner of the structure must register with the Director of Building and Housing by submitting a written report, prepared by a qualified inspector who conducted or overlooked the inspection. Guidelines for the report are as follows:

The report must document the condition of the exterior and appurtenances as either safe, unsafe, or safe with a repair and maintenance program. The report must document all significant deterioration, unsafe conditions, and movement in sufficient detail so that successive reports will show the change in future conditions. The report must be signed by and bear the professional seal of the qualified inspector.

The report must be filed with the Director of Building and Housing together with a fee, (amount to be determined by the Board of Control), within the time specified in division (a)(2).

The report must include the following:

  1. The location of the building by address;
  2. The year the building was built;
  3. The date the building was inspected;
  4. The name, address, and title of the person or company who conducted the inspection;
  5. A complete description of inspections conducted based on ASTM E2270-14, including the locations and descriptions of the general inspection areas and any detailed inspection areas.

The inspection report must be filed with the Director of Building and Housing every five years from the date of the original report. The owner must keep the complete inspection documentation on-site or produce said documentation within 48 hours of any request by the Director of Building and Housing or the Chief of Fire, or their representatives.

Notice of Unsafe Condition. Following the discovery of an unsafe condition relating to the building exterior or appurtenances, the owner must notify the Director of Building and Housing immediately in writing, and immediately begin repair, reinforcement, or precautionary measures, with the required permits to ensure public safety.

INSPECTION SCHEDULE & FREQUENCY

The owner must complete such inspection and file a report within the following time:

  1. All new inspections and reports for structures 50 years or older must be completed and filed within one year of the effective date of this section. Following inspections and reports must be completed every 5 years from the date of the original inspection report.
  2. All new inspections and reports for structures 30 years to 50 years must be completed and filed within two years of the effective date of this section. Following inspections and reports must be completed every five years from the date of the original inspection report.
  3. If a structure has already been inspected prior to the adoption of this chapter, the owner must file a report of that inspection within one year of the effective date of this section, and subsequent inspections and reports must be completed every five years from the date of the original inspection report.
sullivan-engineering-cleveland-inspection
sullivan-engineering-cleveland-consequences-for-late-filing

CONSEQUENCES FOR LATE FILING

In addition to any other method of enforcement provided for in Chapter 3103, violations of any provision of this chapter can find them guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Each day after a violation continues will constitute a separate offense. Organizations convicted of an offense will be fined as provided by Cleveland Codified Ordinance Sections 601.10 and 601.99.

Why it’s important to stay in compliance

Staying in compliance is essential for adhering to the legal requirement enforced by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. 

Additionally, having a building up to code ensures the safety, health, and welfare of all occupants inside the building as well as the general public. Periodic building envelope inspections also empowers building owners to preventatively address facade and roof-related concerns before the conditions lead to much costlier restoration. Without routine inspections, your building poses a risk to surrounding residents and structures while having to deal with fines, potential offenses, and more.

WHY PARTNER WITH SULLIVAN ENGINEERING

Sullivan Engineering recommends partnering with an architecture or engineering firm that specializes in exterior restoration services when you are ready to have your building inspected. A professional firm like Sullivan Engineering will know exactly what to look for and be able to identify conditions such as superficial cracks and deterioration. They will ensure that these conditions will not be mislabeled, and more importantly, that unsafe conditions posing threats to public safety will not go unnoticed and unreported.

Sullivan Engineering’s partnership approach, focusing on proactive communication and fast turnaround times, combined with our budget management expertise and our ability to leverage technology gives our clients an exceptional experience they can’t find anywhere else. To learn more about us and our core values and determine if we are the right partner for you, visit our About Us page.

Related Projects

Partner with Sullivan Engineering