Area Planning Commission requests steady budget; unified development ordinance complete, limited attorney costs expected

Penny Carpenter, executive director of the Vermillion County Area Planning Commission (APC), told the council that APC and Vermillion Zoning Administrator (VZA) budgets for 2026 are largely unchanged from 2025 aside from rate increases. "The only increase I have on my budget is the rates, for 2026. Otherwise, everything stays the same as 2025," Carpenter said, adding the commission approved the budget during its June meeting. Carpenter discussed the APC’s professional-fees fund (used for outside legal work) and said costs rose in the last two years because of updates to the unified development ordinance (UDO) and the need to hire outside counsel for certain matters. She told the council the UDO creation was expended in 2024 and is now in use, although the ordinance remains a “living document” that may receive amendments—for example, the commission is considering clarifying rules on accessory units and whether more than one residence should be allowed per parcel for aging-in-place accommodations. Carpenter said APC has budgeted a modest professional-services amount (the fund label shown in county coding) and hopes not to expend the full $25,000 but requested the council keep the fund available for potential outside counsel or map and technical work. Council members discussed whether board-member reimbursement should be paid monthly or biannually; Carpenter said the commission historically pays board reimbursements once per year.