Building and Planning

Upcoming Soon

Putnam County Building Department issues permits for all unincorporated areas of the county and the following: Town of Cloverdale, Town of Bainbridge, Town of Roachdale, and Town of Russellville.

Any person initiating construction of a structure BEFORE obtaining an Improvement Location Permit (ILP) or other required permits must pay TWICE the amount of the current permit fee.

If the property is located within the City of Greencastle 2-Mile Fringe area approval from the City of Greencastle is required. Please contact the City of Greencastle Planning Department for more information.



Contractors

Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity engaging in any construction activity, for which a building permit is required, shall be a listed contractor. However, an individual constructing a dwelling or structure for personal use or occupancy shall execute a “Contractor Listing Exemption”. The individual signing the contractor listing exemption accepts all responsibility for construction, permits, fines and penalties.

Stormwater Management is the process of controlling stormwater runoff that comes primarily from impervious surfaces like parking lots, driveways, and rooftops. Stormwater management is the effort to reduce runoff of rainwater or melted snow onto streets, lawns, and other sites, and the improvement of water quality. When stormwater is absorbed into the soil, it is filtered and ultimately replenishes aquifers or flows into streams and rivers. However, when heavy rainwater hits, ground saturated by water creates excess moisture that runs across the surface and into storm sewers and road ditches. This water often carries debris, chemicals, bacteria, eroded soil, and other pollutants, and carries them into streams, rivers, lakes, or wetlands. For this reason, new development must file a stormwater, erosion control, and drainage plan with the County. 

Putnam County has adopted the Stormwater Management Ordinance and Technical Standards for any development that disturbs an acre or more of ground, this includes building ponds. See the ordinance, technical standards and documents to be submitted below. A General Construction Permit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is also required.

Ordinance

Recorded Stormwater Ordinance

Putnam County Stormwater Technical Standards Manual

Putnam County Stormwater Management Ordinance

Applications

Cert of compliance

Statement of Financial Responsibility

Project Check

Individual Lot Permit Request

Stormwater Management BMPs Maintenance Agreement

Plot Plan Review

Termination Inspection Checklist and Compliance Assessment

Stormwater Permit Application checklist

Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Tech Review

Construction Insepction Log

The Planning & Building department handles complaints of building code violations, unsafe buildings, and zoning violations for all unincorporated areas of the county as well as the Towns of Bainbridge, Roachdale, and Russellville. To file a complaint, complete the form below and return it to our office. All complaints filed will be reviewed, investigated, and followed until the violation is resolved. The complaint form must be completed in its entirety and signed. Any forms missing information or are incomplete will be returned to the complainant.

For complaints within the City of Greencastle, the Two-mile fringe of the City of Greencastle, the Town of Cloverdale, or the Town of Fillmore, please contact the city or town.

Building code violations, unsafe buildings and zoning violations are address through the Planning and Building Department. To file a complaint complete the form below and return it to the office. All complaints filed will be reviewed, investigated and followed until the violation is resolved. The complaint form must be completed in its entirety and signed. Any forms with missing information or incomplete will be returned to complainant.

What is Zoning?

 Zoning is a method of planning in which the County divides land into areas called zones, each zone has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a single use (e.g., residential, industrial), they may combine several compatible activities by use. The Zoning Ordinance details the differing regulations for density, size, and shape of allowed buildings whatever their use. The planning rules for each zone determine whether planning permission for a given development may be granted. Zoning specifies the permitted uses and accessory uses allowed within each district. It indicates the size and dimensions of lots that land may be subdivided into. These guidelines are set in order to guide urban growth and development.

Putnam County is in the process of updating the zoning ordinance and subdivision control ordinance into a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The UDO will incorporate not only the unincorporated areas of the county, but also the Town of Bainbridge, Town of Cloverdale, Town of Roachdale, Town of Russellville, and the 2-mile fringe of the City of Greencastle. Thereby streamlining the process and bringing the county and towns together for better cohesiveness.



Ordinances

The Putnam County zoning and subdivision ordinances have been updated. Please see the new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).

All other Putnam County Code of Ordinances can be found here. Please keep in mind that the Code of Ordinances are only updated every three (3) years. Therefore, some ordinances may be out of date. Below are the most up-to-date ordinances that relate to Planning, Zoning, and Building:

Above Ground ordinance

Record A1 A2 Ordinance

Ordinance 2022-1-4-1 Solar Wind

Ordinance 2022-8-01-1 Sub Control

Ordinance 2022-11-7 Flood Plain

Think GIS

Find any property and it's description as well as a detailed map that provides parcel outlines.

Area Plan Commissions are cooperative efforts between a county and at least one municipality within the county. In jurisdictions using the area planning law, one commission serves the county and all municipalities that choose to participate. The area plan commission is a unit of county government, staffed by a director and any other employees included in the annual budget. Area jurisdictions are permitted and encouraged to adopt unified plans and ordinances: a single comprehensive plan, a single zoning ordinance, and a single subdivision control ordinance can apply to the county and to all participating municipalities. In a county having an area plan commission, a city or town that does not participate in the area commission may not exercise planning authority outside the corporate limits of the municipality. Nonparticipating municipalities may, however, form advisory plan commissions with authority for planning within the city or town.

The Area Plan Commission is the land use and development policy body for the county is the decision-making body for site plan review, subdivisions, and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). The commission sets in an advisory capacity to the County Commissioners and/or Russellville Town Council for rezoning requests, and amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The Area Plan Commission also advises the County Commissioners and/or Russellville Town Council on the adoption of and amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.

The board is comprised of ten members, whose term of service is four years. All members are volunteers and non paid. A person may not communicate with any member of the Board before the hearing with the intent to influence the member's action on a matter pending before the board. Not less than five (5) days before the hearing, however, the staff may file with the board a written statement setting forth any facts or opinions relating to the matter.

Plan Commission Members

Kevin Scobee - President

Randy Bee - Vice President

Ken Heeke - Secretary

Rick Woodall

Greg Williams

Jenna Nees

Jay Alcorn

Clint Cooper

Chris Mann

Tony Riggen

James McKee

Brent Wireman



Archives

The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) is the local government body empowered by State Law to consider granting relief from the requirements of the County’s Zoning Ordinance. The BZA’s duties fall into three categories:



1. Granting of Variances
2. Development Standard Variances; and
3. Variances of use
4. Granting of Special Exceptions
5. Appeals from Administrative Decisions

The board is comprised of five members, whose term of service is four years. Per IC 36-7-4-920(g), a person may not communicate with any member of the board before the hearing with intent to influence the member's action on a matter pending before the board. Not less than five (5) days before the hearing, however, the staff (as defined in the zoning ordinance), if any, may file with the board a written statement setting forth any facts or opinions relating to the matter.

BZA Members

Raymond McCloud – President

Kevin Scobee – Vice President

Randy Bee

Lora Scott

Ron Sutherlin

Archives

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General Questions