Commissioners give first reading to ordinance assigning revitalization authority to area planning commission

The Decatur County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 15 held the first reading of an ordinance to assign authority for the Decatur County Revitalization Project to the Decatur County Area Planning Commission.

Under the proposed ordinance, the Decatur County Revitalization Project Board would operate under the guidance of the area planning commission and include specified officials and staff: the planning and zoning director, planning and zoning staff, a county commissioner, a county council member, a representative of the Decatur County Health Department, a township trustee, a representative of the Decatur County Highway Department, the planning and zoning attorney, the county recorder, auditor and assessor.

The staff presenter cited Indiana Code, chapter 36-1-3, as the statutory authority for counties to exercise powers needed for local government administration; the draft ordinance also references three earlier county ordinances (Ordinance 1998-4, Ordinance 2004-5 and Ordinance 2004-14) attached to the draft.

Commissioners were told the area planning commission would follow its own separate ordinance to define procedures for enforcement and case handling; the item was presented as a first reading and is set for second reading at the board’s October meeting. No final vote was taken Sept. 15.

If adopted, the change would move enforcement authority on specified property-revitalization cases from the commissioners’ office to the area planning commission and the newly constituted revitalization project board.