Central Ohio Policy Updates Landlords Need to Know This Week – April 13, 2026

If you manage rental properties across multiple Central Ohio municipalities, you already know that no single city council sets the rules for your entire portfolio. Franklin has its own fee schedule. Hilliard has its own zoning process. Gahanna, Whitehall, Westerville… each one operates on its own legislative calendar, with its own ordinances, its own approval timelines, and its own way of notifying (or not notifying) property owners about changes that affect their bottom line.

That’s what makes local policy tracking so different from staying current on state or federal law. There’s no single source, no single deadline, no single document to read. It’s dozens of city council agendas, planning commission minutes, and ordinance readings happening every week across the metro – most of them with little fanfare and even less media coverage.

This week, we read through all of it so you don’t have to. Below, you’ll find five updates covered in depth (including a Franklin permit fee change that’s already in effect, a Hilliard zoning reform passed today, and a Gahanna emergency ordinance that skipped the public comment process entirely) plus a quick-reference roundup of 10 more items worth watching across Central Ohio.

Franklin, OH: Building Permit and Inspection Fees Just Changed. Here’s What to Budget

Status: Recently passed – adopted April 6, 2026. The new fee schedule is now in effect.

Franklin City Council voted on April 6 to amend Chapter 1313 of the codified ordinances, updating the city’s building permit and inspection fee schedule. The amendment covers fees tied to new construction permits, renovation permits, HVAC replacements, electrical work, plumbing, and structural inspections.

For property managers with active or planned capital projects in Franklin (roof replacements, furnace swaps, bathroom remodels, unit additions), this is a direct line-item budget change. The new fee schedule applies to any permit application submitted after the April 6 adoption date. If you submitted before that date, your fees were locked under the previous schedule. If you haven’t submitted yet, pull the updated fee table before you finalize your project budget.

The practical risk here is straightforward: permit fee surprises at the counter delay project timelines and create unplanned out-of-pocket costs. For a single HVAC replacement, the difference might be modest. For a multi-unit renovation or a full property turn, even incremental fee increases compound quickly. Build the new numbers into your scope before you start work, not after.

View source document → Franklin City Council Meeting Materials — April 6, 2026

 

Hilliard, OH: Conditional Use Approval Process Overhauled Under Ordinance 26-09

Status: Just passed – Hilliard City Council voted today (April 13, 2026). This ordinance is now in effect.

Hilliard City Council passed Ordinance 26-09 today, amending the conditional use approval process in the city’s zoning code. Conditional use permits are the mechanism property owners use to seek approval for non-standard uses on their parcels: mixed-use arrangements, property conversions, accessory dwelling units, or commercial activity on residentially zoned land.

This matters because Hilliard is one of the fastest-growing suburban rental markets in the Columbus metro. Investors eyeing mixed-use conversions, accessory structures, or non-standard property configurations in Hilliard have historically navigated a conditional use process that could add weeks or months to a project timeline. A streamlined or restructured approval process can reduce time-to-approval, lower soft costs (architect revisions, attorney fees, carrying costs during review), and make previously marginal projects pencil out.

If you’re currently planning any project in Hilliard that requires a conditional use permit (or if you’ve been holding off on a project because the approval process felt prohibitive) pull the full text of Ordinance 26-09 and review the updated requirements. The ordinance took effect upon passage, so any new applications will follow the revised process.

View source document → Hilliard City Council Meeting — Ordinance 26-09

 

Gahanna, OH: Zoning Code Changes Recommended for Approval – Including Accessory Structure Setbacks

Status: Recommended for approval — Gahanna Planning Commission recommended these changes on March 11, 2026.
Full City Council vote has not yet been recorded. Watch for final adoption.

Gahanna’s Planning Commission recommended amendments to multiple chapters of the zoning code at its March 11, 2026 meeting, including updated setback requirements for accessory structures. These recommendations now move to full City Council for final adoption.

Setback requirements determine how close a detached garage, storage building, shed, or similar accessory structure can legally sit relative to a property line. For landlords, this directly affects what improvements are feasible on a given parcel. If you’ve been blocked from building a detached garage, adding a storage structure, or expanding an existing accessory building because of setback constraints, the proposed changes may open up more flexibility — or, depending on the direction of the amendment, tighten existing allowances.

This is still at the recommendation stage, not final law. But the Planning Commission’s recommendation carries significant weight, and final Council adoption typically follows within a few weeks. If you have an active project in design that involves an accessory structure in Gahanna, verify your plans against the proposed setback changes before submitting. Better to adjust now than to redesign after adoption.

View source document → Gahanna Planning Commission Meeting — Zoning Code Recommendations

 

Whitehall, OH: Ordinance 020-2026 Unanimously Adopted — Review for Compliance

Status: Passed — unanimous vote (April 7, 2026). No opposition, no delay. Compliance review warranted now.

Whitehall City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 020-2026 at its April 7 meeting. A unanimous vote means no dissent, no delay, and no political uncertainty — this ordinance takes effect on its standard timeline with no further procedural hurdles.

Whitehall has one of the highest concentrations of rental housing in the Columbus metro area. Any ordinance that passes unanimously in Whitehall deserves immediate attention from landlords operating there, because unanimous adoption signals broad council consensus and minimal likelihood of reversal or amendment. The specific provisions of Ordinance 020-2026 should be reviewed against your current operations to confirm whether any compliance steps are required. [SOURCE NEEDED: The full text of Ordinance 020-2026 should be confirmed via the Whitehall City Clerk’s office or the city’s legislative records to verify the specific subject matter and compliance requirements.]

It’s also worth noting that Whitehall has several other ordinances in the pipeline, including Ordinance 022-2026 (currently on second reading), which would require special permits for the construction or operation of detention facilities. While that ordinance hasn’t reached final adoption, it signals the direction of Whitehall’s regulatory activity and is worth monitoring.

View source document → Whitehall City Council Agenda — April 7, 2026

 

Gahanna, OH: Emergency Ordinance Adopted — Sewer Capacity Charges Updated, Effective Immediately

Status: Passed on emergency basis — in effect now. Adopted March 16, 2026, with no waiting period. No further readings or public comment window occurred.

Gahanna City Council adopted Ordinance ORD-0008-2026 on an emergency basis on March 16, 2026, amending Section 921.04 of the codified ordinances to update sewerage system capacity charges. The emergency adoption bypassed the standard multi-reading deliberation timeline — meaning this ordinance took effect immediately upon passage, with no additional public comment opportunity.

For property managers in Gahanna, updated sewer capacity charges affect the cost of connecting new construction, additions, or major renovations to the municipal sewer system. If you’re planning any project that involves a new sewer tap, an expanded connection, or a change in use that increases sewer demand (such as converting a single-family home to a multi-unit rental), the capacity charge you’ll pay is now governed by the updated fee schedule.

Emergency ordinances are worth paying close attention to precisely because they skip the public notice window that gives property managers time to prepare. The urgency of the adoption is the story: Gahanna property managers may already be subject to a new fee structure they haven’t had time to review. If you have active projects or upcoming permit applications involving sewer connections in Gahanna, pull the updated Section 921.04 language and adjust your project budgets accordingly.

View source document → Gahanna City Council — Emergency Ordinance Record (ORD-0008-2026)

 

Also On the Radar This Week

The five updates above are the ones most likely to directly affect your operations or budget this week. But they’re not the only municipal activity worth tracking. Here’s a quick scan of what else moved across Central Ohio — each entry includes its legislative status so you know whether to act now or just keep watching.

Grandview Heights, OH [Upcoming meeting — scheduled April 15, 2026] — The Planning Commission will discuss findings from the First & Grandview Plan Parking Study at its April 15 meeting, alongside a short-term rental review application for a property on Northwest Boulevard. Parking study outcomes could lead to regulatory changes affecting tenant parking availability near Grandview’s commercial corridors. If you have holdings in the area, this meeting is still ahead of you — consider attending or submitting written comment before the 24-hour deadline. Source

Groveport, OH [Third reading completed — final adoption imminent] — City Council completed a third reading of a zoning ordinance update on April 13. Third readings typically precede final adoption by one procedural step. Property managers in Groveport should review what uses and development standards are changing before the ordinance takes effect. Source

Hilliard, OH [Under discussion — no final vote recorded] — Separately from Ordinance 26-09 (covered above), Hilliard is also deliberating on Ordinance 26-06, amending Chapter 190 of the codified ordinances. Chapter 190 amendments can touch landlord notification requirements and property maintenance standards. If you operate in Hilliard, track this one through to its final vote. Source

Worthington, OH [Introduced — public hearings pending] — City Council introduced several ordinances for upcoming public hearings on April 6; no final votes have been taken. This is the earliest stage of the legislative process. Worthington property managers should flag the public hearing dates and consider participating before these reach a vote. Source

Westerville, OH [Mixed: Second reading completed on park ordinance; separate ordinances recently passed] — Council completed a second reading of an ordinance regulating unauthorized commercial use of parks (one step from a final vote) and separately approved Ordinances 2026-02 and 2026-03 in March. The park commercial use amendment may affect event-related activity at properties adjacent to Westerville park land. Source 1 | Source 2

Pickerington, OH [Under discussion — no vote scheduled] — Council discussed a replacement ordinance on April 7 intended to expedite future legislative changes. No vote has been scheduled. Monitor for the adoption date — expedited legislative mechanisms can accelerate local regulatory changes faster than typical public notice windows allow. Source

Fairfield, OH [Recently adopted — now in effect] — City Council reported on newly codified use standards adopted as part of a broader zoning code update. These standards are now in effect as of the March 25 meeting. New use standards define what tenant types and property activities are permitted by district — important context for mixed-use building owners and anyone with commercial tenants. Source

Franklin, OH [Introduced — public hearing scheduled] — In addition to the permit fee update covered above, Franklin City Council introduced Ordinance 2026-03 on April 6 and scheduled a public hearing. Ordinance 2026-03 has not yet passed — the public hearing is an opportunity to weigh in before it does. Source

Lancaster, OH [Third reading completed — likely finalized] — City Council completed a third reading of temporary ordinances on March 23, indicating the legislative process is at or near its end. Property managers in Lancaster should verify whether these ordinances have now been fully adopted and whether they affect rental operations. Source

Powell, OH [Recently passed — April 7, 2026] — Council approved Ordinance 2026-06, abolishing the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Primarily an administrative restructuring, but property managers engaged in community planning or with park-adjacent properties should be aware of the governance shift. Source

 

What to Do With This Information

Tracking local policy isn’t optional if you manage rental properties across multiple Central Ohio municipalities. A fee change in Franklin, a zoning reform in Hilliard, an emergency ordinance in Gahanna — these don’t make headlines, but they directly affect your project budgets, your compliance obligations, and your timeline for property improvements.

The landlords who stay ahead of these changes build the cost into their planning before it becomes a surprise. The ones who don’t find out when a permit gets rejected, a project stalls, or a compliance notice shows up in the mail.

If keeping up with municipal policy across Columbus, Hilliard, Gahanna, Whitehall, and a dozen other jurisdictions sounds like more than you want to handle on your own, that’s one of the things a professional property management partner handles for you. [INTERNAL LINK: RLPM property management services page] RLPM tracks local regulations, manages permit and inspection processes, and ensures your properties stay compliant across every municipality in the Columbus metro. Schedule a consultation to see how that works in practice.