Chapter 755 | Parks; Recreation

Section 755.01 | Board of park commissioners - election.

• Effective: July 2, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 48 - 128th General Assembly

When five per cent of the qualified electors of a city petition the board of elections of the county for the privilege of determining by ballot whether there shall be a board of park commissioners, such board shall submit at the next general election held within such city at least ninety days after the petition is filed, or at a special election occurring at least ninety days after the petition is filed, if the petition requests a special election, the questions presented in the petition, to the electors of the city. Such special election shall be held at the usual place for holding municipal elections and shall be governed by the same rules, regulations, and laws as govern the holding of municipal elections.

Section 755.02 | Board of park commissioners.

• Effective: January 9, 1961
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 104th General Assembly

If a majority of the electors voting at an election under section 755.01 of the Revised Code vote in favor of the appointment of a board of park commissioners, the mayor shall immediately appoint three electors of the city as members of such board, to be known as the "board of park commissioners." Such members shall be appointed for terms of one, two, and three years, respectively, and their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years. In case of the death or resignation of a member of such board, the mayor shall immediately appoint a successor to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. The members of the board shall serve without compensation. The mayor may remove, with the consent of a majority of those elected to the legislative authority of the city, any member of such board for incompetency or official misconduct.

Section 755.03 | Organization of board of park commissioners.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park commissioners, after the appointment and qualification of its members, shall elect one of such members president and another vice-president, who, in the absence or disability of the president, shall perform his duties and exercise his powers. The board shall make its own rules, its meetings shall be open to the public, and all questions acted upon shall be decided by a yea and nay vote with the name of each member voting recorded on the journal. No question shall be decided unless it is approved by a majority of the board.

Section 755.04 | Disbursements.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

All disbursements of money by the board of park commissioners shall be made by the city treasurer upon warrants drawn by the city auditor, and no warrant shall be drawn by the auditor or paid by the treasurer unless it is approved and attested by the signatures, in their own handwriting, of the president and secretary of the board.

Section 755.05 | Control and management of parks.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park commissioners shall have the control and management of parks, park entrances, parkways, boulevards, connecting viaducts, subways, children's playgrounds, and public baths and stations of public comfort located in such parks, of all improvements thereon, and the acquisition, construction, repair, and maintenance thereof. The board shall exercise exclusively all the powers and perform all the duties, in regard to such property, vested in and imposed upon the director of public service.

Section 755.06 | Expenditure of moneys.

• Effective: September 29, 2013
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly

(A) The board of park commissioners shall have the expenditures of all moneys appropriated by the legislative authority of the city or received from any other source for the purchase, acquisition, improvement, maintenance, equipment, or enjoyment of all property mentioned in section 755.05 of the Revised Code, but no liability shall be incurred or expenditure made unless the money required therefor is in the treasury to the credit of the park fund and not appropriated for any other purpose.

(B) Notwithstanding division (A) of this section, if the legislative authority of a municipal corporation enters into an agreement for the sale or lease of mineral rights regarding lands that the board of park commissioners manages or controls, any royalties or other moneys resulting from the sale or lease shall be deposited into a special fund that the legislative authority shall establish under division (F) of section 5705.09 of the Revised Code. The board of park commissioners shall use the fund exclusively for maintenance of lands that the board manages or controls and for the acquisition of new park lands.

Section 755.07 | Rules and regulations.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park commissioners may adopt and enforce regulations as to the proper use and protection of all property mentioned in section 755.05 of the Revised Code and the improvements thereon, and may impose penalties for the violation of such regulations.

Section 755.08 | Establishment and extension of parks and other facilities.

• Effective: January 1, 1966
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 94 - 106th General Assembly

The board of park commissioners may establish or extend parks, parkways, boulevards, connecting viaducts, subways, public comfort stations, children's playgrounds, and public baths located in such parks, within such city or the territory contiguous thereto, and may acquire or appropriate, in the manner provided by sections 163.01 to 163.22, inclusive, of the Revised Code, the necessary real estate for such purposes, and in the same manner may appropriate, for parkway or boulevard purposes, any street, avenue, or public way of such city.

Section 755.09 | Employees of board of park commissioners.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park commissioners may employ a secretary, general superintendent, engineer, clerks, and other necessary employees for carrying into effect the purposes of its creation, and the board shall fix the compensation and term of service of such employees.

Section 755.10 | The park fund.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

All moneys received by the city from taxation or otherwise for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, equipping, and maintaining parks, park entrances, parkways, boulevards, connecting viaducts, subways, children's playgrounds, and public baths, and stations of public comfort located in such parks, shall be deposited in the city treasury and transferred by warrants on the city auditor to the credit of the board of park commissioners in a fund designated as "the park fund." All expenditures incurred by such board shall be by warrant of the city auditor drawn in pursuance of the regularly authorized attested voucher of the board.

Section 755.11 | Contracts.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park commissioners, in the letting of contracts, shall be governed by sections 735.05 to 735.09, inclusive, of the Revised Code.

Section 755.12 | Municipal corporations, townships, and counties may maintain and operate recreation facilities.

• Effective: March 14, 1980
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 356 - 113th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, the board of township trustees, or the board of county commissioners of any county may designate and set apart for use as parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, or indoor recreation centers, any lands or buildings owned by any such municipal corporation, township, or county and not dedicated or devoted to other public use. Such municipal corporation, township, or county may, in the manner provided by law for the acquisition of land or buildings for public purposes in such municipal corporations, township, or county, acquire lands or buildings therein for such use.

Section 755.13 | Supervision and maintenance of recreation facilities.

• Effective: October 24, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 47 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The authority to supervise and maintain parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, or indoor recreation centers, may be vested in any existing body or board, or in a recreation board, as the legislative authority of the municipal corporation, the board of township trustees, or the board of county commissioners determines. The local authorities of any such municipal corporation, township, or county may equip, develop, operate, and maintain such facilities as authorized by sections 755.12 to 755.18 of the Revised Code. Such local authorities may, for the purpose of carrying out such sections, employ play leaders, recreation directors, supervisors, superintendents, or any other officers or employees, and may procure and pay all or any part of the cost of a policy or policies insuring such officers or employees against liability on account of damage or injury to persons or property arising from the performance of their official duties.

(B) The board of township trustees may expend funds from the township general fund, or revenue derived from property taxes levied for parks and recreational purposes, for the public purpose of presenting community events that are open to the public at such parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, or indoor recreation centers.

(C) The board of county commissioners may adopt rules for the preservation of good order within parks, playfields, and reservations of land under its jurisdiction and on adjacent highways, rivers, riverbanks, and lakes, and the preservation of property and natural life therein. Such rules shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the county once a week for two consecutive weeks, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, before taking effect. In counties in which no newspaper is generally circulated, notice shall be accomplished by posting copies in not less than five of the most public places in the district, as determined by the board of county commissioners, for a period of not less than fifteen days before the rules take effect. The rules shall be enforced by a "law enforcement officer" as defined in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code. No person shall violate a rule adopted under this division. Whoever violates a rule adopted under this division shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars. If the offender has previously been convicted of a violation of the rule, the offender shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars. All fines collected for any violation of any rule adopted under this division shall be paid into the general fund of the county treasury.

(D)(1) Except as provided in division (D)(2) of this section, the controlling authority of each sports and recreation location shall do all of the following:

(a) Require the placement of an automated external defibrillator in each sports and recreation location under the authority's control;

(b) Require that a sufficient number of the staff persons of each sports and recreation location successfully complete an appropriate training course in the use of an automated external defibrillator as described in section 3701.85 of the Revised Code;

(c) Adopt an emergency action plan for the use of automated external defibrillators and may use the model plan developed by the department of health under section 3701.851 of the Revised Code.

(2) Division (D)(1) of this section does not apply to a township or village if the population of the township or village is less than five thousand.

(E) As used in this section:

(1) "Automated external defibrillator" has the same meaning as in section 2305.235 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Sports and recreation location" means indoor recreation centers and facilities, gymnasiums, swimming pools, and playing fields that are designated, operated, and maintained for those uses as authorized by sections 755.12 to 755.18 of the Revised Code.

Last updated August 13, 2024 at 9:16 AM

Section 755.14 | Recreation board - joint recreation district.

• Effective: September 13, 2010
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 270 - 128th General Assembly

(A) If the legislative authority of a municipal corporation determines that the power to equip, operate, and maintain parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, or recreation centers shall be exercised by a recreation board, it may establish such a board, which shall possess all the powers and be subject to all the responsibilities of the respective local authorities under sections 755.12 to 755.18 of the Revised Code. The board shall consist of five persons, two of whom shall be members of the board of education of the city or village school district or shall be appointed by that board of education. The other members of the recreation board shall be appointed by the mayor or manager as executive of such municipal corporation with the consent of its council. The members who are board of education members and members appointed by a board of education shall be residents of the school district making the appointment but need not be residents of the municipal corporation. All other members of the board shall be residents of the municipal corporation. All members of the board shall serve for terms of five years, except that the members first appointed shall be appointed for such terms that the term of one member shall expire annually thereafter. Members of the board shall serve without pay. Vacancies in the board, occurring otherwise than by expiration of term, shall be for the unexpired term and shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments.

(B) The legislative authorities of the municipal corporations, boards of township trustees of the townships, boards of township park commissioners, boards of county commissioners of the counties, and boards of education of the school districts joined in the operation and maintenance of parks or recreation facilities under section 755.16 of the Revised Code may, by resolution, establish a joint recreation board which may possess all the powers and be subject to all the responsibilities of the respective local authorities under sections 755.12 to 755.18 of the Revised Code. The resolutions shall specify the number of members of the joint recreation board and the method of appointing members and filling vacancies. Members of the board shall serve without pay.

(C) The legislative authorities of the several subdivisions joined in the operation and maintenance of recreation facilities under section 755.16 of the Revised Code may, by resolution, establish a joint recreation district, consisting of all the territory of the subdivisions so joined. The joint recreation district board of trustees shall be the governing body of a district and shall possess all the powers of a legislative authority of an individual subdivision under sections 755.12 to 755.18 of the Revised Code. Subject to section 755.141 of the Revised Code, the number of trustees shall be fixed by the resolutions creating the district and may be any number so long as there is representation of all participating subdivisions.

Section 755.141 | Joint recreation district operating on site of the United States Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee.

• Effective: January 1, 2018
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly

If a park or recreational facility owned, operated, or maintained by a joint recreation district created under division (C) of section 755.14 of the Revised Code is the site where an exhibition sanctioned by the United States Christopher Columbus quincentenary jubilee commission is being or has been held and the exhibition is or was sponsored by the organization that is also sponsoring or has sponsored an exhibition sanctioned by the international association of horticulture producers, the following provisions shall apply, in addition to the provisions of sections 755.12 to 755.18 of the Revised Code:

(A) The governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and president of the senate shall each appoint one member to the board of trustees of the district. These members may be members of the general assembly, but any members of the general assembly appointed to the board of trustees shall be nonvoting members and shall serve only while they remain members of the general assembly. Members appointed under this division shall serve terms of three years and serve without pay, and all vacancies in their positions on the board, whether for an unexpired term or at the end of a term, shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

(B) The board of trustees of a joint recreation district may designate the amounts and forms of property and casualty insurance protection to be provided. The expense of providing the protection shall be paid from operating funds of the joint recreation district.

(C) The board of trustees of a joint recreation district may acquire, construct, maintain, and operate horticultural facilities, public banquet facilities, greenhouses, and such other facilities as are authorized in section 755.16 of the Revised Code.

(D)(1) By resolution of its board of trustees, the joint recreation district may issue revenue bonds beyond the limit of bonded indebtedness provided by law, for the acquisition, construction, furnishing, or equipping of any real or personal property, or any combination thereof which it is authorized to acquire, construct, furnish, or equip, including all costs in connection with or incidental thereto.

(2) The revenue bonds of the joint recreation district shall be secured only by a pledge of and a lien on the revenues of the joint recreation district that are designated in the resolution, including, but not limited to, any property to be acquired, constructed, furnished, or equipped with the proceeds of the bond issue, after provision only for the reasonable cost of operating, maintaining, and repairing the property of the joint recreation district so designated. The bonds may further be secured by the covenant of the joint recreation district to maintain rates or charges that will produce revenues sufficient to meet the costs of operating, maintaining, and repairing such property and to meet the interest and principal requirements of the bonds and to establish and maintain reserves for the foregoing purposes. The board of trustees of the joint recreation district, by resolution, may provide for the issuance of additional revenue bonds from time to time, to be secured equally and ratably, without preference, priority, or distinction, with outstanding revenue bonds, but subject to the terms and limitations of any trust agreement described in this section, and of any resolution authorizing bonds then outstanding. The board of trustees, by resolution, may designate additional property of the district, the revenues of which shall be pledged and be subject to a lien for the payment of the debt charges on revenue bonds theretofore authorized by resolution of the board of trustees, to the same extent as the revenues above described.

(3) In the discretion of the board of trustees, the revenue bonds of the district may be secured by a trust agreement between the joint recreation district and a corporate trustee, that may be any trust company or bank having powers of a trust company, within or without the state.

(4) The trust agreement may provide for the pledge or assignment of the revenues to be received, but shall not pledge the general credit and taxing power of the joint recreation district. The trust agreement or the resolution providing for the issuance of revenue bonds may set forth the rights and remedies of the bondholders and trustees, and may contain other provisions for protecting and enforcing their rights and remedies that are determined in the discretion of the board of trustees to be reasonable and proper. The agreement or resolution may provide for the custody, investment, and disbursement of all moneys derived from the sale of such bonds, or from the revenues of the joint recreation district, other than those moneys received from taxes levied pursuant to section 755.171 of the Revised Code, and may provide for the deposit of such funds without regard to Chapter 135. of the Revised Code.

(5) All bonds issued under authority of this section, regardless of form or terms and regardless of any other law to the contrary, shall have all qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments, subject to provisions for registration, and may be issued in coupon, fully registered, or other form, or any combination thereof, as the board of trustees determines. Provision may be made for the registration of any coupon bonds as to principal alone or as to both principal and interest, and for the conversion into coupon bonds of any fully registered bonds or bonds registered as to both principal and interest.

(6) The revenue bonds shall bear interest at such rate or rates, shall bear such date or dates, and shall mature within thirty years following the date of issuance and in such amount, at such time or times, and in such number of installments, as may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution authorizing their issuance. Any original issue of revenue bonds shall mature not later than thirty years from their date of issue. Such resolution also shall provide for the execution of the bonds, which may be by facsimile signatures unless prohibited by the resolution, and the manner of sale of the bonds. The resolution shall provide for, or provide for the determination of, any other terms and conditions relative to the issuance, sale, and retirement of the bonds that the board of trustees in its discretion determines to be reasonable and proper.

(7) Whenever a joint recreation district considers it expedient, it may issue renewal notes and refund any bonds, whether the bonds to be refunded have or have not matured. The final maturity of any notes, including any renewal notes, shall not be later than five years from the date of issue of the original issue of notes. The final maturity of any refunding bonds shall not be later than the later of thirty years from the date of issue of the original issue of bonds or the date by which it is expected, at the time of issuance of the refunding bonds, that the useful life of all of the property, other than interests in land, refinanced with proceeds of the bonds will have expired. The refunding bonds shall be sold and the proceeds applied to the purchase, redemption, or payment of the bonds to be refunded and the costs of issuance of the refunding bonds. The bonds and notes issued under this section, their transfer, and the income therefrom, shall at all times be free from taxation within the state.

(E) A joint recreation district described in this section may do all of the following:

(1) Operate or appoint agents to operate, or otherwise provide for the operation of, its properties and its facilities, activities, and programs and to enter into agreements and arrangements related thereto, and to receive and apply the net proceeds thereof solely to the management, operation, development, maintenance, and repair of its properties, its buildings, facilities, improvements, and grounds;

(2) Impose and collect a charge for admission for selective events, exhibits, and facilities;

(3) Offer memberships of various denominations for selective activities or facilities;

(4) Form advisory and other support committees to the board of trustees to provide counsel and assistance to the board in the management, operation, and development of its properties, buildings, facilities, improvements, and grounds;

(5) Grant licenses, or enter into leases or contracts, for the use of any part of its properties, facilities, buildings, and grounds for such length of time and upon such terms and conditions as the board of trustees deems appropriate and necessary, and grant easements in, through, or over its property;

(6) Receive and accept from any federal, state, county, municipal, or local government or agency, any grant or contribution of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied for the purpose for which such grants and contributions are made; and

(7) Accept and expend gifts, grants, devises, and bequests of money and property on behalf of the board of trustees and hold, use, and apply such gifts, grants, devises, and bequests according to the terms thereof.

(F)(1) For purposes of division (F)(2) of this section, "bank" has the same meaning as in section 1101.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) The board of trustees may enter into a contract for a secured line of credit with a bank if the contract meets all of the following requirements:

(a) The term of the contract does not exceed one year, except that the contract may provide for the automatic renewal of the contract for up to four additional one-year periods.

(b) The contract provides that the bank shall not commence a civil action against the board, any member of the board, or the county or the municipal corporation to recover the principal, interest, or any charges or other amounts that remain outstanding on the secured line of credit at the time of any default by the board.

(c) The contract provides that no assets other than those of the joint recreation district can be used to secure the line of credit.

(d) The terms and conditions of the contract comply with all state and federal statutes and rules governing the extension of a secured line of credit.

(3) Any obligation incurred by a board of trustees of a joint recreation district pursuant to division (B) of this section is an obligation of that board only and not a general obligation of the board of county commissioners, the county, or the municipal corporation within the meaning of division (Q) of section 133.01 of the Revised Code.

(G)(1) For purposes of division (G)(2) of this section, "lease-purchase agreement" has the same meaning as a lease with an option to purchase.

(2) For any purpose for which a board of trustees of a joint recreation district described in this section is authorized to acquire real or personal property, that board may enter into a lease-purchase agreement in accordance with this section to acquire the property.

The lease-purchase agreement shall provide for a series of terms in which no term extends beyond the end of the fiscal year of the joint recreation district in which that term commences. In total, the terms provided for in the agreement shall be for not more than the useful life of the real or personal property that is the subject of the agreement. A property's useful life shall be determined either by the maximum number of installment payments permitted under the statute that authorizes the board to acquire the property or, if there is no such provision, by the maximum number of years to maturity provided for the issuance of bonds in division (B) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code if bonds were to be issued by a subdivision under that section to finance such facilities. If the useful life cannot be determined under either of those statutes, it shall be estimated as provided in division (C) of section 133.20 of the Revised Code.

The lease-purchase agreement shall provide that, at the end of the final term in the agreement, if all obligations of the joint recreation district have been satisfied, the title to the leased property shall vest in the joint recreation district if that title has not vested in the joint recreation district before or during the lease terms; except that the lease-purchase agreement may require the joint recreation district to pay an additional lump sum payment as a condition of obtaining that title.

(3) A board of trustees of a joint recreation district that enters into a lease-purchase agreement under this section may do any of the following with the property that is the subject of the agreement:

(a) If the property is personal property, assign the board's rights to that property;

(b) Grant the lessor a security interest in the property;

(c) If the property is real property, grant leases, easements, or licenses for underlying land or facilities under the board's control for terms not exceeding five years beyond the final term of the lease-purchase agreement.

(4) The authority granted in division (G) of this section is in addition to and not in derogation of, any other financing authority provided by law.

(H) The board of trustees of a joint recreation district described in this section may exercise such other powers as shall have been granted to it in the agreement between the municipal corporation and the board of county commissioners establishing the joint recreation district entered into pursuant to division (C) of section 755.14 of the Revised Code.

Section 755.15 | Organization of boards.

• Effective: August 31, 1976
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 111 - 111th General Assembly

The members of boards established pursuant to section 755.14 of the Revised Code shall elect their own chairman and secretary, select all other necessary officers to serve for a period of one year, and may employ such other persons as are needed. Such boards may adopt rules for the conduct of all business within its jurisdiction.

A joint recreation district board of trustees formed pursuant to division (C) of section 755.14 of the Revised Code shall appoint one of its members or employ another as fiscal officer of the district.

Section 755.16 | Joint acquisition and maintenance.

• Effective: October 17, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly

(A) Any contracting subdivision, jointly with one or more other contracting subdivisions, in any combination, may acquire property for, construct, operate, and maintain any parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, indoor recreation centers, educational facilities, or community centers. Any school district, educational service center, or state institution of higher education may provide by the erection of any school, educational service center, or state institution of higher education building or premises, or by the enlargement of, addition to, or reconstruction or improvement of any school, educational service center, or state institution of higher education building or premises, for the inclusion of any such parks, recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers to be jointly acquired, constructed, operated, and maintained. Any contracting subdivision, jointly with one or more other contracting subdivisions, in any combination, may equip, operate, and maintain those parks, recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers and may appropriate money for those purposes.

Any contracting subdivision agreeing to jointly acquire, construct, operate, or maintain parks, recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers pursuant to this section may contribute lands, money, other personal property, or services to the joint venture, as may be agreed upon. Any agreement shall specify the rights of the parties in any lands or personal property contributed.

Any lands acquired by a township park district pursuant to Chapter 511. of the Revised Code and established as a public park or parks may be contributed to a joint venture authorized by this section. Fees may be charged in connection with the use of any recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers that may be constructed on those lands.

(B) Any township may, jointly with a private land owner, construct, operate, equip, and maintain free public playgrounds and playfields. Any equipment provided by a township pursuant to this division shall remain township property and shall be used subject to a right of removal by the township.

(C) As used in this section and in sections 755.17 and 755.18 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Community centers" means facilities characterized by all of the following:

(a) They are acquired, constructed, operated, or maintained by contracting subdivisions pursuant to division (A) of this section.

(b) They may be used for governmental, civic, or educational operations or purposes, or recreational activities.

(c) They may be used only by the contracting subdivisions that acquire, construct, operate, or maintain them or by any other person upon terms and conditions determined by those contracting subdivisions.

(2) "Educational service center" has the same meaning as in division (A) of section 3311.05 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Contracting subdivision" means a municipal corporation, township, joint recreation district, township park district, a park district created under Chapter 1545. of the Revised Code, county, school district, educational service center, or state institution of higher education.

(4) "School district" means any of the school districts or joint vocational school districts referred to in section 3311.01 of the Revised Code.

(5) "State institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

Section 755.17 | Issuance of bonds.

• Effective: July 20, 1988
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 318 - 117th General Assembly

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, the board of township trustees of any township, the board of township park commissioners of any township park district, the board of county commissioners of any county, the board of education of any school district that has entered into an agreement for the joint operation of recreational facilities or community centers with the municipal corporation that embraces all or a major part of such school district, and a joint recreation district pursuant to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, in order to exercise the authority conferred by section 755.16 of the Revised Code, may issue bonds for the purpose of acquiring lands or buildings, or extending, enlarging, or improving existing lands, facilities, or buildings for parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, swimming pools, public baths, indoor recreation centers, or community centers, and for the equipment thereof. Land acquired by a municipal corporation for a swimming pool may be within or without the limits of such municipal corporation.

Section 755.171 | Sales and use tax levy to retire bonds and notes for joint recreation district.

• Effective: November 19, 1996
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 61 - 121st General Assembly

For the purpose of paying debt charges on bonds issued pursuant to section 755.17 of the Revised Code or notes issued in anticipation of such bonds, the board of county commissioners of a county that is joined in a joint recreation district under section 755.14 of the Revised Code may pledge and contribute revenue from a tax levied under division (A)(5) of section 5739.026 and section 5741.023 of the Revised Code or the portion of the revenue from a tax levied under those sections that is allocated to the purpose described in that division. Any bonds or notes to the payment of which the board pledges and contributes revenue under this section shall be secured by a trust agreement between the issuer, whether the issuer is the board of county commissioners or the joint recreation district board, and a corporate trustee that is a trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company within or outside this state. The trust agreement shall pledge or assign to the retirement of the bonds or notes all money paid by the county under this section. The tax, the revenue from which is pledged to the retirement of bonds or notes under this section, shall not be subject to diminution by initiative, referendum, or statute, unless provision is made by the initiative, referendum, or statute for an adequate substitute for that revenue reasonably satisfactory to the trustee under the trust agreement securing the bonds or notes.

If the board of county commissioners pledges and contributes revenue from a tax levied under division (A)(5) of section 5739.026 and section 5741.023 of the Revised Code to the payment of bonds or notes issued under section 755.17 of the Revised Code, the bonds or notes do not constitute general obligations of the county or of the joint recreation district, and the bonds or notes shall not pledge the faith and credit or revenue of the county or of the joint recreation district other than revenue from the tax levied under division (A)(5) of section 5739.026 and section 5741.023 of the Revised Code. No other tax shall be levied or pledged for the payment of debt charges on such bonds or notes. The legislation authorizing the bonds or notes shall include a covenant to appropriate the revenue from that tax first to the payment of the debt charges on such bonds or notes. The portion of the revenue from such a tax determined by the board of county commissioners to be necessary to pay the actual costs of administering the tax shall not be so pledged and contributed. Any other appropriations from the revenue from that tax shall be limited to the balance, if any, of the revenue remaining after the annual debt charges on such bonds or notes have been paid or deposited into a fund for the payment of those charges.

A pledge of revenue by a board of county commissioners under this section is not net indebtedness of the county under section 133.07 of the Revised Code.

Section 755.18 | Payment of expenses.

• Effective: May 6, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 16 - 126th General Assembly

All expenses incurred in the operation of parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, swimming pools, public baths, indoor recreation centers, and community centers, established as provided by sections 755.12 to 755.17 of the Revised Code, shall be payable from the treasury of the municipal corporation, township, township park district, county, or school district, or in the case of a joint recreational district or an educational service center, from its general fund. The local authorities of a municipal corporation, county, township, township park district, or school district having power to appropriate money may annually appropriate and cause to be raised by taxation an amount for the purpose of maintaining and operating those parks, recreational facilities, and community centers.

A joint recreation district may levy a tax, subject to Chapter 5705. of the Revised Code, to acquire, maintain, and operate recreational facilities and community centers.

Section 755.181 | Petition for membership in joint recreation district; withdrawals.

• Effective: September 13, 2022
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 140 - 134th General Assembly

The legislative authority of any municipal corporation, township, township park district, county, or school district desiring to join a joint recreation district created under section 755.14 of the Revised Code may, by resolution, petition the joint recreation district board of trustees for membership. If the joint recreation district does not impose a tax, the petitioning subdivision becomes a member upon approval by the joint recreation district's board of trustees. If the joint recreation district imposes a tax, the petitioning subdivision becomes a member after approval by the joint recreation district's board of trustees and after approval of the tax by the electors of the petitioning subdivision. In such a case, the joint recreation district's board of trustees and the county auditor shall proceed as required for a tax levy under section 5705.03 of the Revised Code, except that the levy's annual collections shall be estimated assuming that the subdivision's territory has been added to the joint recreation district.

Upon certification by the board of trustees of the joint recreation district to the appropriate boards of election, the boards of election shall make the necessary arrangements for the submission of the question to the electors of the petitioning subdivision qualified to vote thereon. The election shall be held, canvassed, and certified in the manner provided for the submission of tax levies under section 5705.19 of the Revised Code, except that the question appearing on the ballot shall read:

"Shall the territory within _______________ (Name of the subdivision to be added) be added to ____________________ (Name) joint recreation district, and a property tax, that the county auditor estimates will collect $_____ annually, at a rate not exceeding _________________ mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $_______________ (estimated effective rate) for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, be in effect for _________________ (here insert the number of years the tax is to be in effect)?"

If the question is approved by at least a majority of the electors voting on it, the joinder shall be effective as of the first day of January of the year following approval, and on that date, the joint recreation district tax shall be extended to the taxable property within the territory that has been added.

The legislative authority of any subdivision that is a member of a joint recreation district may withdraw from it upon certification of a resolution proclaiming a withdrawal to the joint recreation district's board of trustees. Any subdivision withdrawing from a joint recreation district shall continue to have levied against its tax duplicate any tax levied by the district on the effective date of the withdrawal until it expires or is renewed. Members of a joint recreation district's board of trustees who represent the withdrawing subdivision are deemed to have resigned their position upon certification of a withdrawal resolution. Upon the withdrawal of any subdivision from a joint recreation district, the county auditor shall ascertain, apportion, and order a division of the funds on hand, moneys and taxes in the process of collection, except for taxes levied for the payment of indebtedness, credits, and real and personal property, either in money or in kind, on the basis of the valuation of the respective tax duplicates of the withdrawing subdivision and the remaining territory of the joint recreation district.

When the number of subdivisions comprising a joint recreation district is reduced to one, the joint recreation district ceases to exist, and the funds, credits, and property remaining after apportionments to withdrawing subdivisions shall be assumed by the one remaining subdivision. When a joint recreation district ceases to exist and indebtedness remains unpaid, the board of county commissioners shall continue to levy and collect taxes for the payment of that indebtedness within the territory of the joint recreation district as it was comprised at the time the indebtedness was incurred.

As used in this section, "the county auditor's appraised value" and "estimated effective rate" have the same meanings as in section 5705.01 of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 15, 2022 at 8:46 AM

Section 755.19 | Care of property donated for park purposes.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

In any municipal corporation which is the owner or trustee of property for park purposes, or of funds to be used in connection therewith, by deed of gift, devise, or bequest, such property or funds shall be managed and administered in accordance with the provisions or conditions of such deed of gift, devise, or bequest.

Section 755.20 | Board of park trustees for donated property.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When a deed of gift, devise, or bequest of property or funds to a municipal corporation for park purposes requires the investment or change of investment of the principal of such property or funds, or any part thereof, to be made upon the approval of an advisory committee appointed by a court or judge, or by an advisory committee appointed by a civic organization of the municipal corporation, or by the legislative authority of such municipal corporation, then such property or funds, and any park for the improvement of which in whole or in part such fund is to be used, or any property for the care or management of which, in whole or in part such fund is used, shall be managed, controlled, and administered by a board of park trustees.

Section 755.21 | Appointment and term - vacancies.

• Effective: October 2, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 171 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees mentioned in section 755.20 of the Revised Code, shall consist of four resident electors of the municipal corporation, who shall be appointed by the mayor, and shall serve without compensation for the term of four years. The park trustees shall be appointed in the first instance to serve for one, two, three, and four years respectively, and thereafter their successors shall be appointed one each year to serve for the term of four years, but not more than two shall be of the same political party. Vacancy in the board by death, resignation, or otherwise shall be filled in like manner for the remainder of the term.

Section 755.22 | Powers of board.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees shall have the entire management and control of any property or funds acquired as provided by section 755.19 of the Revised Code, all improvements within any such park, moneys derived from levies made for park purposes, moneys from the general fund appropriated by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation for such purposes, proceeds of bonds issued or sold for park purposes, moneys or other property donated to any such municipal corporation for park purposes, and of all other park property legally acquired. All such moneys shall be placed in a special fund called the "park fund," and shall be disbursed by the treasurer of the municipal corporation, only upon a warrant of the auditor or clerk thereof, drawn in accordance with the order of the board.

Such board shall have the control and management of parks, park entrances, parkways, boulevards, connecting viaducts, subways, children's playgrounds, and public baths and stations of public comfort located in such parks, of all improvements thereon, and the acquisition, construction, repair, and maintenance thereof. The board shall exercise exclusively all the powers and perform all the duties in regard to such property vested in and imposed upon the director of public service.

The board may apply, control, invest, and reinvest the funds coming or arising from gift, devise, or bequest according to the terms on which acquired.

Section 755.23 | Compensation - oath - bond.

• Effective: March 20, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 291 - 132nd General Assembly

The members of the board of park trustees shall serve without compensation. Before entering upon the discharge of their duties, they shall each take the oath of office prescribed by section 733.68 of the Revised Code, and, except as otherwise provided in the municipal charter or in section 3.061 of the Revised Code, shall give bond in the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars, conditioned according to section 733.71 of the Revised Code, and to the approval of the mayor and legislative authority of the municipal corporation.

Section 755.24 | Meetings - rules and regulations.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees shall hold meetings at least once a month, and shall adopt necessary rules for the regulation of its business. It shall keep a complete record of its proceedings, which record, or a copy thereof, certified by the clerk of the board, shall be competent evidence of its transactions in the courts of this state. The yeas and nays shall be called upon the passage of every resolution or order. Three members of the board shall constitute a quorum, but no resolution or order shall be adopted unless three members vote in its favor. The auditor or clerk of the municipal corporation shall act as the clerk of the board of park trustees, but shall receive no additional salary or compensation for such services.

Section 755.25 | Contracts - rules and regulations.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees may make contracts for the improvements of the grounds, the erection of the necessary bridges and structures therein, and adopt rules for the protection, care, and government of the parks under its charge, and such rules, when approved by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation shall have the same effect and may be enforced by the same penalties as ordinances.

Section 755.26 | Power to incur liability.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees shall not incur any liability for park purposes beyond the amount of the funds levied therefor or appropriated to its order by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation for such purposes.

Section 755.27 | Employees of board of park trustees.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees may employ such superintendents, landscape gardeners, and other employees as are necessary for the execution of its duties, and fix their salaries or compensation. Any such persons may be removed by the board at any time.

Section 755.28 | Control of improvement of natural watercourses.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees shall have the entire management and control of all work of straightening, cleaning, deepening, or otherwise improving any natural watercourse, whether partly or wholly used for sewer purposes or not, within the city, may purchase, acquire, or condemn any water rights, easements, or privileges in connection with any natural watercourse through such city, and may acquire or condemn such real estate as is necessary for such purposes.

Section 755.29 | Bids required.

• Effective: September 28, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 509 - 129th General Assembly

The board of park trustees, before entering into any contract for the performance of any work, the cost of which exceeds fifty thousand dollars, shall cause plans and specifications and forms of bids to be prepared, and when adopted by the board, shall have them printed for distribution among bidders.

Section 755.30 | Notice for proposals.

• Effective: September 28, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 509 - 129th General Assembly

The board of park trustees shall not enter into any contract for work or supplies, where the estimated cost thereof exceeds fifty thousand dollars, without first giving thirty days' notice in one newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation that sealed proposals may be received for doing the work or furnishing such materials and supplies.

Section 755.31 | Bond to accompany bids.

• Effective: August 1, 1980
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 157 - 113th General Assembly

Each bid for a contract for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of an improvement to be performed for the board of park trustees shall meet the requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code. Each bid concerning other work to be performed for the board of park trustees shall be accompanied by a bond, signed by sufficient security, for the acceptance of the contract if awarded by the board.

Section 755.32 | Bids shall be under seal.

• Effective: September 1, 1976
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 338 - 111th General Assembly

Bids for work and supplies to be furnished the board of park trustees shall be enclosed in a sealed envelope and deposited with the clerk of the board, such envelope shall have indorsed thereon the nature of the bid, and all bids shall be opened at the time, date, and place specified in the notice to bidders or specifications. The time, date, and place of bid openings may be extended to a later date by the board of park trustees, provided that written or oral notice of the change shall be given to all persons who have received or requested specifications no later than ninety-six hours prior to the original time and date fixed for the opening.

Section 755.33 | Awarding contracts.

• Effective: August 1, 1980
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 157 - 113th General Assembly

The board of park trustees shall enter into the contract mentioned in section 755.29 of the Revised Code with the lowest responsible bidder. The board shall be the final judge as to who are the responsible bidders. Where the contract is for other than the construction, demolition, alteration, repair, or reconstruction of an improvement, the board shall enter into the contract when the bidder gives bond to the municipal corporation, with sureties approved by the board, that he will perform the work or furnish the material and supplies in accordance with his contract. On the failure of such bidder, within a reasonable time, to be fixed by the board, to so enter into bond with surety, the contract may be made with the next lowest responsible bidder, and so on until the contract is effected by the contractor giving bond. The board may reject any bid, and no member of the board shall be in any manner, either directly or indirectly, interested in any contract.

Section 755.34 | Reports and estimates.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The board of park trustees, on the first Monday of January each year, shall make a written report to the legislative authority of the municipal corporation of its proceedings, with a detailed statement of its receipts and expenditures during the year. The board shall at the proper time submit to the legislative authority a detailed estimate of the amount of money necessary to maintain and improve parks for the ensuing year, and to dredge, straighten, clean, deepen, and otherwise improve watercourses and purchase and acquire water rights, easements, and privileges.

Section 755.41 | Vacation of unimproved and unused park lands.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

When lands lying within the limits of a municipal corporation have been dedicated to or for the use of the public for parks or park lands, and where such lands have remained unimproved and unused by the public for a period of twenty-one years and there appears to be little or no possibility that such lands will be improved and used by the public, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation in which said lands are located may, by ordinance, declare such parks or park lands vacated upon the petition of a majority of the abutting freeholders. No such parks or park lands shall be vacated unless notice of the pendency and prayer of the petition is given, in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation in which such lands are situated for three consecutive weeks, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, preceding action on such petition. No such lands shall be vacated prior to a public hearing had thereon.

Section 755.42 | Sale of unused park lands at public auction.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

Upon the vacation of parks or park lands as provided by section 755.41 of the Revised Code, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation shall offer such lands for sale at a public auction. No lands shall be sold until the legislative authority of such municipal corporation gives notice of intention to sell such lands. Such notice shall be published as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code or once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in a municipal corporation in which the sale is to be had. The legislative authority of such municipal corporation or the board or officer having supervision or management of such real estate shall sell such lands to the highest and best bidder, provided that any and all bids made hereunder may be rejected.

When such sale is made, the mayor or other officer of a municipal corporation in which sale is had and in which such lands are located, shall enter into a deed, conveying said lands to the purchaser thereof. At or after the time of sale, the auditor of the county shall place the lands sold hereunder on the tax duplicate of the county at a value to be established by the auditor as in cases where the auditor re-enters property which has been tax exempt on the taxable list of the county.

The proceeds from the sale of lands sold pursuant to this section shall be placed in the general fund of the treasury of the municipal corporation in which such lands are located and may be disbursed as other general fund moneys.

Section 755.43 | Procedure where reversionary interests established upon vacation of land.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

When real estate that has been dedicated to or for the use of the public for parks or park lands is vacated by the legislative authority of a municipal corporation pursuant to section 755.41 of the Revised Code, and where reversionary interests have been set up in the event of the non-use of such lands for the dedicated purpose, such reversionary interests shall accelerate and vest in the holders thereof upon such vacation. Thereupon, the auditor of the county shall place the lands on the tax duplicate of the county in the names of such reversionaries as are known to and supplied by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation or the board or officer having supervision or management of such real estate. If the legislative authority of such board or officer is unable to furnish the names of such reversioners, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation shall fix a date on or before which claims to such real estate may be asserted and after which such real estate shall be sold. Notice shall be given of such date and of the sale to be held thereafter, as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code or once each week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipal corporation wherein such lands are located. In the event that no claims to such lands are asserted or found to be valid, the lands shall be sold pursuant to section 755.42 of the Revised Code, and the title of any holders of reversionary interests shall be extinguished.

Nothing contained in sections 755.41, 755.42, or 755.43 of the Revised Code shall be construed as limiting any of the home rule powers conferred upon municipalities by Article XVIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio.