A building permit "on hold" is not a denial. It is not a rejection. It is a pause — with a specific reason attached, and usually a specific action required to resume it. Understanding what kind of hold you have tells you exactly what to do next.
This article explains the six types of permit holds in Strongsville's system, the specific ordinance obligations that apply to vacant lots, and what you are and aren't required to do as a private landowner.
The six types of permit holds
1. Information Hold
What it is: The application is incomplete. Missing documents, missing site plan, missing contractor license, incomplete description of work.
What triggers it: Building department review of the initial submission.
What you must do: Supply the missing information. The hold lifts when the application is complete. Response time is typically within 30 days of notice.
Key distinction from denial: An information hold is not a judgment on whether the project is approvable. It simply means the reviewer doesn't yet have everything they need to evaluate it.
2. Plan Review Comments Hold
What it is: The plan reviewer has questions, corrections, or required revisions. Common in projects involving structures, grading, utilities, or anything requiring engineering.
What it means: A plan reviewer read your submission and found items that need to be addressed before approval — unclear dimensions, insufficient structural detail, a code requirement not met on the drawings.
What you must do: Respond in writing to each comment, revise drawings, and resubmit. Every jurisdiction has a comment-response cycle; typically 2–3 rounds before resolution.
Important: Plan review comments are not arbitrary. They reference specific code sections. Request the full comment letter in writing so you can respond precisely.
3. Third-Party Review Hold
What it is: Your project requires review by an agency outside the building department that hasn't yet responded. Common examples:
- Ohio EPA (for projects near waterways or wetlands)
- Army Corps of Engineers (Section 404 jurisdiction)
- Cuyahoga County Engineering (for drainage or road connections)
- Strongsville Fire Marshal (for structures over certain size)
- Health Department (for some agricultural or food-related structures)
What you must do: Contact the third party directly to understand their timeline and requirements. The building department is waiting on them — but you can often accelerate this by staying active with the third party yourself.
4. Zoning Hold
What it is: The proposed work requires a variance, conditional use approval, or other zoning action that has not yet been granted.
What it means: Your project may be structurally sound and code-compliant, but it doesn't conform to a zoning requirement — setback, height, accessory structure limits, lot coverage — and you need Board of Zoning Appeals action before the permit can proceed.
What you must do: File a variance application with the BZA. The permit is administratively held until the BZA issues a decision. See BZA variance process.
Note: A zoning hold does not mean your project is denied. It means the process requires an additional step. Once the variance is granted, the permit can proceed.
5. Administrative or Code Enforcement Hold
What it is: An existing code violation on the property, outstanding fee, open enforcement case, or city-initiated action has placed a hold on new permit issuance.
What it means: Before the city will approve new work at an address, existing open issues must be resolved. This can include:
- Prior unpermitted work that was flagged
- Outstanding maintenance violations (see Chapters 1024 and 1025 below)
- Unpaid permit fees or fines
- Open litigation involving the property
- Vacant property registration noncompliance (see Chapter 1058 below)
What you must do: Contact the building department to identify the specific open item. Some holds require resolution before any new permit; others apply only to related work.
6. Environmental or Floodplain Hold
What it is: The property is within a mapped floodplain, floodway, or FEMA-identified special flood hazard area, or an environmental review has identified issues requiring additional study.
What it means: Federal and state regulations apply to work in these areas that go beyond the local building code. A permit may be held pending a floodplain development permit, LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment), or environmental impact determination.
What you must do: Consult with FEMA's mapping service, Ohio EPA, or a licensed engineer depending on the specific trigger. Floodplain permits in Strongsville require elevation certificates and compliance with FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps.
Vacant Lot Obligations: What the Ordinance Requires
A vacant lot in Strongsville is not simply "empty land with no requirements." The city's codified ordinances impose specific ongoing maintenance obligations on landowners, regardless of whether any permit work is pending.
Chapter 1024 — Property Maintenance: General Provisions
Chapter 1024 establishes the foundational framework for property maintenance obligations in Strongsville. It defines key terms: what constitutes a "structure," a "nuisance condition," and "responsible party" (which includes owners, operators, and agents). It sets the basic standard that all premises must be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition and gives the Building Commissioner authority to inspect and issue notices.
For vacant lots: the obligation is not to improve the land, but to not allow it to become a hazard. A vacant lot that accumulates debris, harbors standing water, grows unchecked invasives that spread to neighboring properties, or has dangerous open excavations can be declared a violation under 1024 provisions.
Chapter 1025 — Exterior Property Maintenance Standards
Chapter 1025 sets specific standards for the visible and accessible condition of property. This is where grass and weed height requirements live. Key provisions that apply to vacant lots:
- Ground cover maintenance: Vegetation on a vacant lot must not reach a height that constitutes a nuisance under city standards. Strongsville's typical standard (consistent with other Cuyahoga County municipalities) defines tall grass/weeds above 8 inches as a maintenance violation when located within defined setback or street-facing areas.
- Debris and trash: No accumulation of junk, abandoned materials, or debris.
- Rodent and pest harborage: Property must not harbor rats, mice, or other vermin through accumulated debris or structural holes.
- Standing water: Conditions creating breeding habitat for mosquitoes or other insects must be abated.
Important nuance for restoration landowners: Chapter 1025 typically distinguishes between unmanaged overgrowth and intentionally managed native plantings or habitat areas. If you are actively managing your property as a native restoration site, document it — a letter to the building department, signage at the property, and a maintained border can all demonstrate that vegetation is intentional management, not neglect. This documentation has been used effectively by conservation landowners in other Ohio municipalities.
Chapter 1058 — Vacant Property Registration
Many Ohio municipalities including Strongsville have adopted vacant property registration requirements modeled on state and county frameworks. Chapter 1058 typically requires:
- Registration: Property owners of vacant lots or structures must register with the city within a specified period (often 30 days after the property becomes vacant).
- Designated Agent: Out-of-area owners may be required to designate a local agent for service of process.
- Annual renewal and fee: Registration is typically renewed annually and involves a fee that increases over time to incentivize either development or transfer.
- Maintenance Plan: Some registration programs require a brief maintenance plan — how the lot will be kept during the vacancy period.
If your lot has a pending permit application: Active permit holders are generally in a more favorable administrative position than owners with no development plan. Having a pending permit or active application demonstrates intent to develop or improve the property. Confirm directly with the building department whether your application status exempts you from any registration fee tier.
Chapter 1418 — Zoning: Use and Development Standards
Chapter 1418 addresses what you are and are not permitted to do on a vacant lot within a particular zoning district. For residential-zoned vacant lots, this typically establishes:
- Permitted interim uses: Parking, gardening, and passive open space are commonly permitted as interim uses on vacant residential lots.
- Accessory structure limits without a principal structure: Many zoning codes limit what accessory structures (sheds, garages, fences) can be placed on a lot that has no primary dwelling. If you want to place a structure on a vacant lot, check whether a primary structure is required first.
- Impervious surface limits: Even without a building, certain coverage percentages may apply to driveways, gravel areas, or other impervious materials.
Chapter 1438 — Zoning: Landscaping, Screening, and Land Preservation Standards
Chapter 1438 addresses landscaping requirements and what may be required when land is disturbed, developed, or left as open space. Relevant provisions for vacant lots typically include:
- Tree preservation: Many Strongsville zoning sections require review before removing trees above a certain caliper on developable lots.
- Screening requirements: If a vacant lot is adjacent to a residential use and contains equipment storage, staging areas, or commercial-scale activity, screening may be required.
- Grading limits: Grading beyond a certain depth, extent, or proximity to property lines may trigger a permit requirement independent of any building permit.
For Strongsville tree regulations, the Foundation has previously documented the tree preservation permit process in detail — see Strongsville Tree Preservation Plan.
What a "hold" is not
A permit on hold is not:
- A denial of your project
- A code enforcement action against you
- A public record of violation (holds are internal administrative statuses, not violations)
- Permanent — every hold has a resolution path
If you receive a hold notice and it doesn't specify the type or required action, request clarification in writing from the building department. A written response creates a record for you and requires the department to articulate exactly what is needed.
The path through a hold is always the same: identify the specific type, take the specific action required, and follow up in writing.