(A)(1) The state fire marshal shall inspect, prior to issuance or renewal of a license and at any other time necessary, every hotel and SRO facility which comes within sections 3731.01 to 3731.21 of the Revised Code.

Terms Used In Ohio Code 3731.05

  • Hotel: includes any structure consisting of one or more buildings containing any combination of more than five guestrooms that are each approved by the building code official having jurisdiction and the state fire marshal as meeting the requirements for transient sleeping rooms or extended stay temporary residence dwelling units, or as having features of such sleeping rooms and dwelling units within the same room, and such structure is specifically constructed, kept, used, maintained, advertised, and held out to the public to be a place where transient sleeping accommodations or temporary residence is offered for pay to persons, but such structure does not otherwise meet the definition of a transient hotel or an extended stay hotel as defined in this section. See Ohio Code 3731.01
  • Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • SRO facility: means a facility with more than five sleeping rooms that is kept, used, maintained, advertised, or held out to the public as a place where sleeping rooms are offered on a single room occupancy (SRO) basis and that is intended for use as a primary residence for residential guests for a period of more than thirty days. See Ohio Code 3731.01
  • state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59

(2) The state fire marshal shall have the right of entry into such hotels and SRO facilities at any reasonable time.

(3) Whenever, upon inspection, it is found that such business and property is not being conducted, or is not equipped in the manner and condition required by such sections, the rules adopted pursuant to them, or the state fire code adopted pursuant to section 3737.82 of the Revised Code, the state fire marshal shall notify the owner, proprietor, or agent in charge of such business, or the owner or agent of the building so occupied, of such violations and of any changes or alterations as may be necessary to effect a complete compliance with sections 3731.01 to 3731.21 of the Revised Code, the rules adopted pursuant to those sections, or the state fire code adopted pursuant to section 3737.82 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) Upon receipt of a notice from the state fire marshal under section 3731.06 of the Revised Code or a citation issued by the state fire marshal pursuant to section 3737.41 or 3737.42 of the Revised Code, the owner, proprietor, or agent in charge of such business shall bring the hotel or SRO facility into compliance with the requirements of this chapter, the rules adopted pursuant to it, or the state fire code adopted pursuant to section 3737.82 of the Revised Code, by making such alterations or changes as may be necessary to put such building and premises in a condition of complete compliance within a reasonable time set by the state fire marshal after being notified by the state fire marshal. An owner, proprietor, or agent in charge of a hotel or SRO facility may request the state fire marshal to extend the time period the state fire marshal establishes to allow the owner, proprietor, or agent to accomplish such alterations or changes. The state fire marshal may grant that request if the owner, proprietor, or agent is able to demonstrate that a longer time is necessary to make such alterations or changes to put such building and premises in a condition of complete compliance and that such an extension does not conflict with any conditions imposed by the board of building appeals after a hearing conducted under section 3737.43 or 3781.19 of the Revised Code.

(2) Any owner, proprietor, or agent, who knowingly fails to bring the hotel or SRO facility into compliance with the requirements of this chapter, the rules adopted pursuant to it, or the state fire code adopted pursuant to section 3737.82 of the Revised Code, by not making the necessary alterations or changes specified in the notification by the state fire marshal is in violation of this section.

(C) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the authority of the state fire marshal to take any action permitted under sections 3737.41 to 3737.51 of the Revised Code against a hotel or SRO facility in addition to or instead of taking action against the hotel or SRO facility, or the license issued to the hotel or SRO facility under this chapter.