As used in sections 163.51 to 163.62 of the Revised Code:

(A) "State agency" means any department, agency, or instrumentality of a state or of a political subdivision of a state; any department, agency, or instrumentality of two or more states or of two or more political subdivisions of a state or states; or any community urban redevelopment corporation organized pursuant to Chapter 1728. of the Revised Code; and any person who has the authority to acquire property by eminent domain under state law.

(B) "Displacing agency" means any state agency or person carrying out a program or project with federal assistance, or carrying out any state highway project that causes a person to be a displaced person.

(C) "Federal financial assistance" means a grant, loan, or contribution provided by the United States.

(D) "Person" includes any individual, partnership, corporation, or association.

(E)

(1) Except as provided in divisions (E)(2) and (3) of this section, "displaced person" means any person who moves from real property, or moves his personal property from real property, as a direct result of a written notice of intent to acquire or the acquisition of such real property, in whole or in part, under a program or project undertaken by a state agency with federal financial assistance or with the rights and powers granted to a community urban redevelopment corporation by the provisions of Chapter 1728. of the Revised Code, or for any state highway project; or as a direct result of rehabilitation, demolition, or other displacing activity on real property undertaken by such state agencies, on which such person is a residential tenant or conducts a business or farm operation, where the head of the displacing agency determines that the displacement is permanent.

(2) Solely for the purpose of establishing eligibility for moving expenses and advisory assistance under sections 163.53 and 163.56 of the Revised Code, "displaced person" includes any person who moves from real property, or moves personal property from real property; as a direct result of a written notice of intent to acquire or the acquisition of other real property, in whole or in part, on which such person conducts a business or farm operation, under a program or project undertaken by a state agency with federal financial assistance or with the rights and powers granted to a community urban redevelopment corporation by the provisions of Chapter 1728. of the Revised Code, or for any state highway project; or as a direct result of rehabilitation, demolition, or other displacing activity undertaken by such state agencies on such other real property, where the head of the displacing agency determines that the displacement is permanent.

(3) "Displaced person" does not include a person who has been determined, according to criteria established by the head of the displacing agency, to be either in unlawful occupancy of the displacement dwelling or to have occupied such dwelling for the purpose of obtaining assistance under this chapter; or a person who became an occupant of the dwelling after its acquisition and whose occupancy is on a rental basis for a short term or a period subject to termination when the property is needed for the program or project.

(F) "Business" means any lawful activity, excepting a farm operation, conducted primarily for one or more of the following:

(1) The purchase, sale, lease, and rental of personal and real property, and for the manufacture, processing, or marketing of products, commodities, or any other personal property;

(2) The sale of services to the public;

(3) By a nonprofit organization;

(4) Solely for the purposes of section 163.53 of the Revised Code, for assisting in the purchase, sale, resale, manufacture, processing, or marketing of products, commodities, personal property, or services by the erection and maintenance of an outdoor advertising display or displays, whether or not such display or displays are located on the premises on which any of the above activities are conducted.

(G) "Farm operation" means any activity conducted solely or primarily for the production of one or more agricultural products or commodities, including timber, for sale or home use, and customarily producing such products or commodities in sufficient quantity to be capable of contributing materially to the operator's support.

(H) "Mortgage" means such classes of liens as are commonly given to secure advances on, or the unpaid purchase price of, real property, under the laws of Ohio, together with the credit instruments, if any, secured thereby.

(I) "Comparable replacement dwelling" means any dwelling that is decent, safe, and sanitary; adequate in size to accommodate the occupants; within the financial means of the displaced person; functionally equivalent to the displaced person's dwelling; in an area not subject to unreasonable adverse environmental conditions; and in a location generally not less desirable than the location of the displaced person's dwelling with respect to public utilities, facilities, services, and the displaced person's place of employment.

(J) "Acquiring agency" means both of the following:

(1) A state agency with authority to acquire property by eminent domain under state law;

(2) A state agency or person without such authority, to the extent provided by the head of the lead agency by rule.

Effective Date: 07-01-1989.