PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW
“Planning”, as it relates to communities, refers to guiding the development of a municipality in a way that protects the general health, safety, and welfare of its residents. The town accomplishes this mission by creating a long-term development strategy as well as using zoning and subdivision regulations that control how the development happens in Lapel every day.
The Comprehensive Plan of the Town of Lapel sets the general vision and goals for the future development of the town together with other plans deemed to be its components (Thoroughfare Plan and Parks and Recreation Master Plan). The Unified Development Ordinance (includes zoning standards and subdivision regulations) is a set of requirements governing how the development is allowed to happen. Finally, Indiana building codes govern how the structures may be constructed. Other state and federal permits may be required, and those are governed by the respective agencies.
Agencies involved in planning include the following:
- Planning Commission is the main body responsible for administering planning. Learn more about the Commission on its page.
- Board of Zoning Appeals is a quasi-judicial body responsible for reviewing administrative appeals, variances of development standards, and special uses. Learn more about the Board here.
- Town Council, being the legislative and financial body of the town, is involved with the following: changes to the zoning map, UDO language, PUD ordinances, work and events in the right-of-way, and acceptance of the public improvements and dedications of land to the public. To view Council’s agenda, go to the town’s website.
- Staff (on-call planner and building inspector) serves the town, and the bodies listed above.
Resources: