HomeMy Public PortalAbout018-2024 MEMORONALD OL1 R, PhD
Mayor
DUSTIN PURVIS
Planning Director
CITY OF RICHMOND
Department of Infrastructure and Development
50 NORTH FIFTH STREET - RICHMOND, IN 47374
(765) 983-72421 dpiirvis@ciclAmand.indiana.gov
March 18, 2024
Common Council
50 N 5th Street
Richmond, IN 47374
RE. Ordinance NO. 18-2024
Dear Council Member,
Ordinance No. 18-2024 is a request by the Department of Infrastructure and Development to amend Article 5
of the Richmond Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
Last year, as part of a larger set of amendments to the UDO (Ordinance 22-2023), Article 5.06(C)2 was
modified to reduce the permitted maximum size for new storage -based accessory structures on residential
properties that are less than one-half (1/2) an ache from 75% of the footprint of the primary structure to 25%
of the footprint of the primary structure. This means, for example, that a house located on such a lot, with a
1200 square foot footprint, would be limited to 300 square feet for a single storage -based structure such as a
pool house, shed, pole barn, detached garage, or greenhouse. This change came about in response to several
prolonged neighbor disputes that have unfolded in recent years related to large accessory structures built on
residential lots.
In recent months, planning staff has begun to suspect that we have overcorrected, specifically as it pertains to
detached garages, as the amendment included in Ord. 22-2023 severely Iimits the owners of smaller houses
from being able to build a detached garage. The proposed text amendment would add an exception to Article
5.05(C)2 to allow detached garages and carports to be a maximum of 75% of the primary structure, which
was the standard prior to last year's UDO changes.
This ordinance is respectfully requested to be referred to the Richmond Advisory Plan Commission for
public hearing at its meeting on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
Sincerely,
Dustin Purvis
Planning Director