CHAPTER 7 - IMPROVEMENT LOCATION PERMITS

SECTION 7.0 APPLICABILITY

A.  No Special Exception may be granted under Chapter 4, and no other change in the
      use of land that involves a change in any structure on or in any land, or in the
      condition of the land, including the placement of manufactured home in manu-
      factured home parks, parking lots and fills, may be made unless the Zoning
      Administrator, on application, issues an  Improvement Location Permit
      authorizing the change. It is hereby declared that the intent of the permit
      requirements of this Ordinance shall not prevail with respect to agricultural
      buildings and uses; however, agricultural buildings shall be subject to the setback
      requirements as specified in the applicable districts.

B.   No Improvement Location permit shall be issued until the applicant has received
       a clearance  from the County Health Officer certifying that the water supply
       and sewage disposal facilities for the proposed building, structure or use, have
       been provided in accordance with  requirements of the Board of Health.

C.   An Improvement Location Permit, except for a Shopping Center or Planned Unit
      Development, shall expire and may be revoked if construction has not begun
      within  the date of  (1) year or is not substantially completed within two and one
      half (2 1/2) years from the  date of issuance.
 

D.   The provisions of this Ordinance are supplemental to and do not abrogate the
       powers  extended to agencies, bureaus, departments, commissions, divisions or
       of officials of the State or Federal Government by State or Federal Statutes

SECTION 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY

A.   Certificate of Occupancy to be issued by the Executive Secretary shall be required
       for any of the following; except in the case of buildings incidental to agricultural
       operations, other than residences.

               1.  Occupancy and use of a building hereafter erected or enlarged;
               2.  Change in use of an existing building;
               3.  Occupancy and use of vacant land except for the raising of crops;
               4.  Change in the use of land to a use of a different classification except for
                     the  raising of crops.
               5.   Any change in use of a nonconforming use.

No such occupancy, use or change of use, shall take place until a Certificate of         Occupancy therefore shall have been issued.

Written application for a Certificate of Occupancy for a new building or for an existing building which is to be enlarged shall be made at the same time as the application for the Improvement Location Permit for such building.  Said Certificate shall be issued within three (3) days after a written request for the same has been made with the Executive Secretary after the erection or enlargement of such building or part thereof has been completed in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance.

Pending the issuance of such a Certificate, a temporary Certificate of Occupancy may be issued by the Executive Secretary for a period of not more than six (6) months, subject to renewal for a like period, during the completion of the construction of the building or of the alterations which are required under the terms of any law or ordinance.  Such temporary certificate shall not be construed in any way to alter the respective rights , duties, or obligations of the owner or of the County relating to the use of occupancy of the land or building or any other matter covered by this Ordinance, and such temporary certificate shall not be issued except under such restrictions and provisions as will adequately insure the safety of the occupants.

Written application for a Certificate of Occupancy for the use of vacant land, or for a change in the use of land or of a building, or for a change in nonconforming use, as herein provided, shall be made to the Executive Secretary. If the proposed use is in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance, the Certificate of Occupancy therefore shall be issued within three (3) days after the application for the same has been made.  Each Certificate of Occupancy shall state that the building or proposed use of a building or land complies with all provisions of this Ordinance.

A record of all Certificates Occupancy shall be kept on file in the office of the Executive Secretary and a copy shall be forwarded, on request, to any person having proprietary or tenancy interest in a building or land affected.  No permit for the erection of any building shall be issued before application has been made for a Certificate of Occupancy.

SECTION 7.2 LOCATION MAP

A.   Any person, persons, firms or corporations which shall make application for an
       Improvement Location Permit shall at the time of making such application,
       furnish the Zoning Administrator with one of the following:

   1. Single family, two-family, or agricultural building or use, a plot plan drawn to scale
       showing the following items:

                (a)  the location of the land concerned;
                (b)  the location and size of all buildings or structures already on the land
                       and/or those to be erected;
                (c)  the width and location of all entrance to and from the land; and
                (d)  all adjacent streets and highways.

 2. All other uses, a detailed site plan drawn to scale with the following information
      indicated  clearly with full dimensioning:

               (a)  lot dimensions
               (b)  all buildings and structures, location, elevations, size, height, proposed
                      use;
               (c)  yards and distance between buildings
               (d)  walls and fences:locations, height and materials
               (e)  off-street parking:location, number and size of spaces and dimensions of
                      parking area, internal circulation pattern.
               (f)   access-pedestrian, vehicular, service:points of Ingress and Egress,
                      internal circulation;
               (g)  signs:location and height
               (h)  loading:location, dimensions, number of spaces, internal circulation;
               (i)   lighting: location and general nature; hooding devices;
               (j)   common facilities and open spaces; location, dimensions
               (k)  public and private roads:location, dimensions, circulation;
               (l)   grading and erosions control plans.

 3.  A detailed area drainage map showing:

               (a) drainage area;
               (b) size and location of any legal court drain which will be affected by the
                    proposed building. No permanent structure shall be erected within
                    seventy- five (75) feet of any legal drain.  The seventy-five (75) feet shall
                    be measured at right angles to the center line of any legal tile ditch and at
                    right angles from the existing top edge of each bank of a legal open ditch,
                    as determined by the County Surveyor, unless a variance has been
                    granted by the Howard County Drainage Board;
              (c) size and location of an Outlet, as defined in Section 3.7-1 to which the
                    water from  the proposed building site will be taken;
              (d) location of existing or proposed septic tank and disposal field.
              (e) cross-sections of open ditch Outlets and Invert elevations of tile Outlets,
                    shall be shown;
              (f) proposed location of tile, as required in Section 3.7.1.
                   Said drainage map shall be prepared by a Registered Land Surveyor or
                   Professional Engineer and accompanied by a Certificate of Compliance
                   stating the standards of this or any other Ordinance or Requirements of
                   the County regarding drainage will be met.

 B.  The Commission shall review the site plans for new structures or uses other than
       single- family dwellings, two-family dwellings or agricultural buildings.

C.  Plans so furnished shall be kept by the Zoning Administrator as permanent
      records.

 D.  As a Condition of issuing a permit, the Zoning Administrator may require the
       relocation of any structure or of any entrance or exits, or the inclusion of an
       entrance or exit not shown on  the plat or site plan to an appropriate balancing
       of the interests of persons in the district and vicinity concerned.

 E. The Zoning Administrator shall review all applications for Improvements Location
      Permits for new construction, or other development, to ascertain as to whether
      the proposed construction, addition or development lies in a flood hazard
      area as defined elsewhere by ordinance.  If the permit application lies in an
      identified floodway, the Zoning Administrator shall forward the application, along
      with all pertinent plans and specifications to the Department of Natural
      Resources and apply for a permit for construction in a floodway from the
      Department of Natural Resources.  If the permit application lies in a floodway
      fringe district, then  the Zoning Administrator may issue a local building permit
      with the condition that the lowest floor, including basement, of the structure(s) is
      at least two (2) feet above the 100-year frequency flood elevation.    If the permit
      application lies in a flood plain district, then the Zoning Administrator shall
      forward  the application, along with all pertinent plans and specifications to the
      Department of Natural Resources for appropriate review and comment.  A local
      building permit may only be issued after receiving the proper  permit or letter of
      recommendation from the Department of Natural Resources.  In a floodway,
      floodway fringe and flood plain district, the Zoning Administrator may require
      such modifications to the design and materials as the Zoning Administrator may
      deem appropriate to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement of the
      structure and minimize potential future flood damages.

 F. In reviewing the applications for Improvement Location Permits for
      compliance with the requirements of this Ordinance, the Zoning Administrator
      requirements of this Ordinance, the Zoning Administrator shall obtain the
      elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor (including basement) of
      all new or substantially improved structures in the Floodway or Floodway Fringe
      districts, and if available, in the Flood Plain District, and whether or not such
      structure has been  flood proofed, and assure that all necessary permits from
      other State, Federal and local agencies have been obtained.

 G. The Plan Commission shall notify the Federal Insurance Administration of all
      permits issued  in the Floodway District concerning watercourse alteration.
      In addition to forwarding a copy of all such permits to FIA, they shall require
      that maintenance is provided within the altered or relocated portion of said water
      course, so that the flood carrying capacity is not diminished.
 


SECTION 7.3 INDUSTRIAL USES, CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

If an application for an Improvement Location Permit relates to a light general industrial use, it must be accompanied by a Certificate of Compliance subscribed by a registered professional engineer of the State, stating that the use will meet the performance standards of the district concerned.  After a ten (10) day period has elapsed, during which the Zoning Administrator has not required additional information or objected in writing, he shall issue the permit.
 

SECTION 7.4 SPECIAL PROVISIONS:SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS

A.   An Improvement Location Permit for a Special Exception may not be issued until
       the application has been approved by the Board and the Zoning Administrator
       has been notified by the Board of the approval.

B.   1.  If a person to whom an Improvement Location Permit has been issued for a
           Shopping Center or a Planned Unit Development fails to complete 30 percent
           of the total plans within 36 months after the permit is issued  or within 12
           months after construction has begun (whichever periods expires later), or fails
           to comply with the approved plan, he  may be required by the Board on its
           own initiative,  and shall be required by it upon written request of any
           interested persons,  to show cause why the permit should not be revoked.
           However, an order to show cause may not be issued for failure to begin
           construction on time, if in the meantime, construction has begun.

     2. In a proceeding to show cause under paragraph (1), the Board shall hold a
          public hearing, of which written notice shall be published according
          to law, and sent by   registered mail to the holder of the permit.  This notice
          must be published and mailed at least ten (10) days before the date set for
          public hearing.

      3.  At the hearing, evidence may be presented by any person present.  If on the
           evidence,   the Board finds that the holder of the permit has failed as described
           in paragraph (1), it  shall revoke the permit.  However, if it considers the
           failure correctable within six (6) months, it may defer revocation and continue
           the hearing until a specified day within that  period.

C.  Upon application by the holder of an Improvement Location Permit for a
      Shopping Center or a Planned Unit Development, the Board may change
      the plan on which the permit is based.  The Board Shall handle the application
      as of it were an original application for a Improvement Location Permit for a
      Special Exception.   If it approves the application, the Board shall notify the
      Zoning Administrator who shall issue an amended permit reflecting  the
      approved change.
 


SECTION 7.5. SPECIAL PROVISIONS:AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION, CARRY-OUT AND DRIVE-IN RESTAURANTS

A.  An Improvement Location Permit for an automobile service station, carry-out or
      drive-in  restaurants, may not be issued until the application has been approved
      by the Commission and the Zoning Administrator has been notified by the
      Commission of the approval.

B.   Plans for the erection of structural alteration of a filling station shall be approved
       by the Commission.  The Commission may require such changes therein with
       respect to yards, locations of driveways, pumps, buildings parking and screening
       as it may deem best suited to insure health and safety, minimize traffic hazards
       and safeguard adjacent property owners.

C.  Plans for the erection or structural alteration of a carry-out or drive-in restaurant
      shall be approved by the Commission.  The Commission  may require such
      changes therein with respect to yards, location of drive-ways,  buildings,
      parking and screening as it may deem  best suited to insure health and safety,
      minimize traffic hazards and safeguard adjacent  property owners.
 


SECTION 7.6. RECORDS

A record of each Improvement Location Permit and each Certificate of Occupancy shall be kept by the Zoning Administrator.  Upon request , a copy shall be furnished to any person having a proprietary or possessory interest in the premises concerned.

For questions or comments concerning these zoning ordinances please contact:
 Howard County Planning Commission
765-456-2330    (fax)765-456-2339
120 E. Mulberry St. Room 114
Kokomo, Indiana 46901



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