The City of Tiffin Engineering Department operates under the direction of the City Engineer, who is a licensed Professional Engineer. The office manages the design and construction of a majority of the infrastructure projects within the City of Tiffin. The office maintains records of maps, plats, plans, and sewer connections. The office administers the Zoning and Planning Codes of the City of Tiffin and serves as the Secretary for the City of Tiffin's Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Commission, and Architectural Board of Review. Other responsibilities of the City of Tiffin Engineering Department include serving as the City's Flood Plain Administrator, serving as a member of the City's Traffic Safety Committee, administering the permitting process for the City's Storm Water Management Program, and managing the permitting and inspection process for all sewer connections and public sidewalk replacements.

• City Street Map
• Seneca County Auditor's Maps
• Interactive GIS Map  Note: Currently not supported for Mobile Devices

Dan Brickner Zoning Inspector
dbrickner@tiffinohio.gov
Ph: (419) 448-5425

Quick Links

Zoning & Sign Code (Section 11 of City of Tiffin Codified Ordinances)

Zoning Permit Application

City Zoning District MapNote: Currently not supported for Mobile Devices

The City of Tiffin Engineering Department only oversees permitting as it pertains to zoning within the City of Tiffin.  All building permits will need to be obtained from the Richland County Building Department and/or the Erie County General Health District.

Richland County Building Department

Erie County General Health District

Current Architectural Board of Review Guidelines

City Architectural Board of Review District MapNote: Currently not supported for Mobile Devices

Application for Certificate of Appropriateness

• The City of Tiffin Engineering Department oversees the design and construction for all sanitary sewer repairs and extensions within the City of Tiffin.
• The City of Tiffin Engineering Department maintains the sewer mapping records for the City of Tiffin including sewer lateral information for many properties that are connected to a sanitary sewer maintained by the City of Tiffin.
• Any alteration, replacement, or repair to a sanitary sewer lateral that is connected to a sanitary sewer maintained by the City of Tiffin must be coordinated with the City of Tiffin Engineering Department
• All contractors performing work on a sanitary sewer lateral that is connected to a sanitary sewer maintained by the City of Tiffin must be licensed with the City of Tiffin Engineering Department

Sewer Tap Specification

 The maintenance of all public sidewalks within the City of Tiffin is the responsibility of the property owner. The City of Tiffin strives to promote and maintain ADA accessible public sidewalks within the City of Tiffin. If a property owner replaces a public sidewalk or driveway within the right of way of the City of Tiffin, the property owner must coordinate the work with City of Tiffin Public Works Department.

City of Tiffin Public Works Department
Sidewalk Specifications
Engineering Permit Application
Fee Schedule 

Any work being proposed to be completed within a public right of way within the City of Tiffin must be coordinated with the City of Tiffin Engineering Department.

Fee Schedule 
Storm Water Management Program 
Chapter 909 of Codified Ordinances

Public Education and Outreach

The objective of the City's Public Education and Outreach program is to distribute education materials and provide educational information through the City's webpage to inform the community about the steps they can take to reduce storm water pollution and the impacts of storm water discharges. The City also informs individuals and groups on how to become involved in the storm water program through public outreach activities.

Asbestos Check Before You Wreck
Drug Free Drains
EPA - Small Lot SWPPP -
Ever Wonder Where It Goes?
It's A Toilet Not A Trashcan!
Stop Sewer Backups
Sustainability Starts At Your Sink
Too Cute to Pollute
Fertilizers and Pesticides
Household Waste
Pet Waste Disposal
Storm Drain Pollution Prevention
Vehicle Oil

Public Participation and Involvement

The City has implemented this Public Involvement/Participation program to actively involve the public in storm water related efforts and development/implementation of the SWMP. Public involvement with the SWMP is expected to result in a better understanding of storm water pollution issues and a broader public support which will provide significant benefits to the City's storm water quality.

Memorandum of Understanding - City of Tiffin and Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca Solid Waste District (OSS)

Illicit Discharge

What is an Illicit Discharge?
Any direct or indirect non-storm water discharge to the MS4.

The Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination (IDDE) program is intended to detect and eliminate illicit discharges from the City's MS4 into the Sandusky River. The City uses a combination of mapping, monitoring, and control measures. Tiffin residents are informed of the hazards of illicit discharges and improper disposal of waste through web-based education about pollution control and storm water management themes. City staff will also be properly informed of the hazards of illicit discharges and improper disposal of waste in municipal operations through the implementation of a Good Housekeeping Program. As part of the SWMP, the City has developed ordinance language to effectively prohibit illicit discharges into the storm sewer system and implement appropriate enforcement procedures and actions. A comprehensive storm sewer map will be updated annually to ensure an accurate representation of the MS4 system is being maintained. Dry weather screening will be performed to detect and address any illicit discharges to the MS4, including discharges from illegal dumping and spills. Mechanisms are currently in place through the Seneca County General Health District for investigating, tracing, and eliminating sources for illicit discharges from household sewage treatment systems. The City coordinates with the Seneca County General Health District to document all illicit discharge efforts the the IDDE program.

To report an Illicit Discharge please contact the City of Tiffin Public Works Department at 419-448-5430 between the hours of 7:00-3:00 or after hours please contact 419-447-2323.

Section 909.14 of the City of Tiffin Codified Ordinances Prohibition of Illicit Discharges
Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Tiffin and Seneca County General Health District

Permitting

- The Construction Site Runoff Control Program establishes the basis to control storm water runoff from construction activities that result in a land disturbance of 1 or more acres, or less than 1 acre of land as part of a larger development that will ultimately disturb 1 or more acres of land. The City of Tiffin Codified Ordinance Chapter 909 provides compliance requirements for erosion and sediment controls as well as pollution prevention practices at construction sites. The City of Tiffin Storm Water Management Program includes standard operating procedures and associated documents used to establish standards for enforcement of control measures through storm water permitting and enforcement escalation. The Construction Site Runoff Control SOP's include detailed procedures for Construction Site Runoff Control Permit Application review & approval, storm water site inspection, project closeout, and enforcement action and escalation. The application review & approval process is used to ensure storm water BMPs and control measures are compliant with local, state, and federal regulations. The City Engineer also conducts site inspections for each active, permitted construction site on a routine basis or as necessary. If any of the sites are found to be out of compliance, the City Engineer requires remediation and corrective action through warnings, issuance of notice of violations, and stop work orders.
Construction Site Runoff Control Permit Flow Chart 
Construction Site Runoff Control Permit Application Review & Approval 
Site Inspection   
Project Closeout 
Enforcement Action & Escalation  
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Checklist 
Construction Site Runoff Control Permit Application 
Construction Site Runoff Control Storm Water Site Inspection Form 
Construction Site Runoff Control Notice of Termination (NOT) Form  
Post-Construction Inspection and Maintenance Agreement for Storm Water BMPs
Fee Schedule

Post Construction Storm Water Management

The Post-Construction Storm Water Management Program was developed to ensure that post-construction storm water best management practices (BMPs) are functioning as designed and permitted. The City of Tiffin requires that all owners of post-construction BMPs submit certified Storm Water BMP As-Builts along with an Inspection and Maintenance (I&M) Agreement to the City Engineer. In addition, the Post-Construction Storm Water Management Program also includes standard operating procedures for long-term inspection and maintenance of permanent storm water facilties. This program includes SOP's and associated documents used to establish and enforce inspection & maintenance standards for post-construction storm water BMPs. The Post-Construction Storm Water Management SOPs include detailed procedures for inspection & maintenance agreements, annual reporting, and enforcement action and escalation. The City is authorized to request and collect facility inspection reports of post-construction storm water BMPs for inclusion into MS4 Annual Reports. In instances where BMPs are not in compliance, the City Engineer is authorized to conduct inspections and require corrective action through issuance of Notice of Violations

Post Construction Storm Water BMPs Annual Facility Report 
Annual Deadline for Submission March 1st

Inspection Checklists

Detention Pond/Wetland
Infiltration/Filtration/Bioretention
Open Channel
Vegetated Swale/Grass Channel

The City of Tiffin participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. This program enables the residents within the City of Tiffin the opportunity to be eligible to purchase insurance as a protection against flood losses along with the opportunity to be eligible for several additional forms of disaster assistance. The National Flood Insurance Program is administered nationally by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), statewide by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Floodplain Management Program, and locally by the City of Tiffin Engineer's Department.

In order to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, the City of Tiffin has agreed to adopt and administer floodplain management regulations that are compliant with the minimum federal criteria. The City of Tiffin Engineering Department serves as the City of Tiffin's Floodplain Administrator which oversees the administration of the City of Tiffin's Floodplain regulations. Any proposed development (new construction or remodel) within a flood hazard area within the City of Tiffin will need to comply with Section 1191 of the City of Tiffin Codified Ordinances and will need to obtain approval from the City of Tiffin Engineer/Floodplain Administrator.

Fee Schedule
Floodplain Permit
Flood Plain Zoning (Section 1191 of City of Tiffin Codified Ordinances)
FEMA Website

DID YOU KNOW?

• Floods are the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States. Homeowners' insurance policies generally do not cover flood losses.
• Over the life of a 30 year mortgage, there is a 26% chance that a building in a floodplain will experience a flood that will equal or exceed the 1%-annual chance flood (100 year flood)
• Approximately 25% of all claims paid by the National Flood Insurance Program are for policies outside of the mapped floodplain.
• When a structure within a flood hazard area is improved by 50% or more of its market value, it must be brought into compliance with current community management regulations.
• When the damage of a structure has equaled or exceeded 50% of its market value, it must be brought into compliance with current community management regulations.