CivX Resource Vault

Download the application to acquire, possess, carry, or use dangerous ordnance. The document includes applicant information, ordnance descriptions, applicant certification, notarization, and issuing-authority approval sections.

Fillable PDF — open it in a PDF reader (e.g., Adobe Acrobat Reader) to type into the fields, then print for signature and notarization. Confirm current submission requirements with your local issuing authority (county sheriff or chief of police) before filing.

A plug-and-play email for notifying a city law department about park signage and codified ordinances that conflict with Ohio’s statewide firearms preemption. Customize the bracketed text before sending.

Quick Pointers

• Direct it to the Law Director / City Solicitor: While city council members and mayors have good intentions, they invariably forward firearm preemption questions straight to the city’s legal counsel. Sending your notice directly to the Law Director (while cc’ing the Mayor or Parks Director) places the issue immediately on the desk of the person responsible for statutory compliance.
• Attach Photos: Always attach a clear, wide-angle shot and a close-up photo of the sign showing the offending rule. Visual proof makes it impossible for an administration to brush it off as a misunderstanding.
• Target Both the Signs and the Codified Code: Park signs rarely exist in a vacuum; they almost always reflect an outdated municipal ordinance on the city’s books. Challenging the ordinance alongside the sign ensures the city doesn’t just pull the sign down while leaving an unconstitutional law intact.
• Firm, Professional, and Cooperative Tone: City officials are much more inclined to fix the issue quickly when given an amicable opportunity to cure it as a standard administrative oversight. Referencing active litigation in the region signals that this is a serious legal issue with real-world precedent, without making you sound abrasive or hostile.

Template

Subject: Notice and inquiry regarding park signage at [Location, e.g., Bedford Commons], codified rules, and R.C. 9.68 compliance

To: [City Law Director / City Solicitor Email]
Cc: [Parks & Recreation Director / Mayor / Clerk of Council]

Dear [Law Director Last Name / City Legal Department],

My name is [Your Name], and I am an Ohio resident who frequently visits and enjoys our local parks and municipal public spaces, including [Name of Park, e.g., Bedford Commons].

During a recent visit, I observed that the posted park rules contain an impermissible blanket restriction stating: "[Insert exact wording from sign, e.g., Prohibited: Weapons of Any Kind / Firearms]" (photograph attached for reference).

I am writing to formally bring this matter to your attention so that the Law Department can initiate corrective action regarding both the physical signage and any corresponding codified municipal ordinances.

Under Ohio Revised Code § 9.68, the General Assembly established statewide preemption over the regulation of firearms, firearm components, and ammunition. The statute explicitly preempts political subdivisions from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing rules, regulations, or ordinances that restrict the lawful possession, carrying, or transportation of firearms outside of the narrow statutory prohibitions enumerated in R.C. 2923.126.

Maintaining unlawful prohibitions—whether displayed on physical park entrance signs or enacted in the codified municipal ordinances—creates an impermissible chilling effect on the exercise of constitutional and statutory rights. Furthermore, it subjects the municipality to unnecessary legal exposure and statutory liability under R.C. 9.68. This is not an abstract risk; municipal overreach regarding firearm restrictions in public parks and civic events is currently the subject of active litigation here in Northeast Ohio (e.g., Jakupca v. City of Akron, Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. CV-2026-09-3900).

Because posted park rules typically stem from municipal code, I also request that your office review the city's codified park ordinances (and general offense codes) to identify and repeal or amend any language that purports to restrict or prohibit the carry or possession of firearms on public park property. Neighboring jurisdictions maintain full statutory compliance either by tailoring local restrictions strictly to unlawful discharge and dangerous projectile misuse pursuant to R.C. 2923.162, or by incorporating standard qualifying language confirming that firearms and weapons are permitted in accordance with state law.

Could you please confirm receipt of this notice and advise whether the City will take steps to update the non-compliant signage and bring its codified park ordinances into alignment with R.C. 9.68?

Thank you for your time, consideration, and dedicated service to our community.

Respectfully,

[Your Name]