Beachwood Parking Garage Law Affects Parking Structure Owners

Find Out How This New Law Affects You

As of November 7, 2022, a new amendment to Section 1375.07.c of the city of Beachwood, Ohio code of ordinances, has introduced mandatory inspection and reporting requirements that every parking garage owner needs to follow to stay compliant.

Below we will talk about details regarding the Beachwood Law:

• Responsibilities of Parking Garage Owners
• Repercussions of Not Meeting Law Requirements
• Cities Near Beachwood
• Next Steps

Responsibilities of Parking Garage Owners

Parking garage owners need to pay attention to the five key details to know when they need to act on their parking garage.  

1. Determine if your parking structure falls under the requirements of the ordinance. You should have received a letter from the city with specifics regarding your structure.
2. Determine your parking structure type, and the inspection cycle it falls under:
        a. Garages with structured parking areas above: 2-year inspection cycle 
        b. Garages adjacent to or under buildings: 5-year inspection cycle 
3. Retain a “State of Ohio Registered Structural Engineer” to assess your parking garage and write a structural inspection report based on the requirements of the ordinance. 
4. Submit the structural inspection report to The Director of Building and Housing. The next filing deadlines are: 
        a. Garages below parking areas: December 31, 2025 
        b. Garages adjacent to or under buildings: December 31, 2028 
5. Submit follow-up structural inspection reports with The Director of Building and Housing every two or five years from the previous submission deadline. 

Repercussions of Not Meeting Law Requirements

Staying compliant is not only about avoiding penalties, but also about ensuring the safety of every user and the long-term viability of your property.

Asset Implications

Parking structures, particularly in climates like Beachwood, are susceptible to many different types of deterioration.

Left uninspected, these deterioration mechanisms could pose risks to people and property  - examples include: falling concrete, tripping hazards, and even collapses – some of which have occurred in Northeast Ohio - that have spurred enactment of this law.

Financial Implications

Per Section 1375.07.c:

“Structured parking that fails to comply with this section shall be presumed unsafe and declared an imminent danger to the public and shall be closed until compliance with this section.  The Building Commissioner shall provide forty-eight (48) hour notice of such closure and shall not re-open the structure until an engineering report is reviewed and approved by the Building Commissioner.”

Cities Near Beachwood

The codified ordinance only applies to parking garages in Beachwood proper. If your asset is not in Beachwood, it is not subject to the law.

If not located in Beachwood, determine if the jurisdiction in which your asset is located requires inspection. For example: Cleveland, Ohio requires inspection and subsequent reporting for parking structures in the city every five (5) years.

Next Steps

Whether required by law or not, preventative inspection and maintenance of parking structures is always a good idea.

As leaders in parking structure management and safety compliance, StructureCare is here to guide you through the complexities of the Inspection and Reporting Requirements for Parking Garages in Beachwood, Ohio.

We offer comprehensive inspection and reporting services to ensure your parking facilities meet all legal requirements and maintain the highest safety standards.

Nick Heim, PE 
Innovation Engineer, Ohio