Zoning Information
This page contains information related to zoning information for the Town of Roachdale.
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Putnam County Building and Planning serves as the Administrator for the Town of Roachdale Planning and Zoning matters. All permits are filed through their office.
Plan Commission Meetings
The Town of Roachdale has joined the Putnam County Advisory Plan Commission. The Advisory Plan Commission is the land use and development policy body for the county and is the decision-making body for preliminary site plan review, preliminary subdivisions, and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). The commission sets in an advisory capacity to the Town of Roachdale Town Council for rezoning requests, final site plan reviews, final plats and PUDs. They also advise the County Commissioners on the adoption of and amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.
Per state statute, either a member of the Town of Roachdale or Town of Russellville Town Councils has to be appointed to represent both municipalities on the Area Plan Commission. Zach Bowers is the current appointee.
Please visit the Putnam County Building and Planning website for more information, including a list of current meeting dates. All meetings are held at the Putnam County Courthouse.
Board of Zoning Appeals
The Board of Zoning Appeals is established by state law to consider granting exceptions from the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. There are three categories that the BZA is tasked with considering:
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Granting of Variances
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Development Standard Variances​
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Variances of Use
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Granting of Special Exceptions​
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Appeals from Administrative Decisions
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The BZA is comprised of five (5) residents from the Town of Roachdale. Each member serves a four year term. Per Indiana Code 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 actions on a matter pending before the board.
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Members:
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Town Council President Appointment: Wendy Robinson - Vice President
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Town Council President Appointment: Rick Miles, Jr. - Secretary
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Town Council Appointment: Kyle Crooks - President
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Brent Wireman - Member
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Vacant
Zoning Ordinance
Adopted: June 14, 2016. Effective: October 12, 2016.
Updated: September 2019
Updated: January 2024
Town of Roachdale adopted a zoning ordinance in April 2016 and it became effective October 10, 2016. In January of 2024, the Town Council adopted the Putnam County Unified Development Ordinance, thus replacing the previous zoning ordinance with the Putnam County UDO.
Town Council is in no way intending for this ordinance to be a burden or cause undue stress to anyone. The Town, for many years, has required building permits for construction and this just expands upon that putting in place minimal rules and regulations that are of benefit to the residents, businesses, and the Town.
The purpose and intent of this Ordinance is to encourage the growth and development of the Town, to promote public health, safety and general welfare; to limit the improper use of land and to encourage the use of land according to this Ordinance; to conserve natural resources and energy to meet the needs of the public; to endure that uses of land shall be situated in appropriate locations and relationships’ to avoid the overcrowding of population; to reduce hazards to life and property; and to conserve the expenditure of funds for public improvements and services so as to obtain the most advantageous uses of land, resources, and other property interests.
With this ordinance comes the requirement for permits (there are fees for each permit) for several types of construction on any property located within the town. This list includes but is not limited to: fences, decks, additions, roofs, pools, patios, driveways, etc. Each lot within the Town is zoned for a specific use. If the property is to be used for something other than it is currently zoned for you will be required to file a special exception, variance, and/or rezoning request. The application for the permit must be filed with the Putnam County Building and Planning Department during normal business hours. The Zoning Administrator will review the application and provide guidance to the petitioner as to the next steps to be approved for an Improvement Location Permit, and /or if there is a need to go before the Plan Commission or the Board of Zoning Appeals.
As a reminder, you must call 811 for utility locates to be completed prior to the construction beginning if there is going to be any digging involved.