Porter County planning staff recommend definition, setbacks for ‘‘barndominiums’’; commission gives favorable recommendation to send to commissioners

Porter County planning staff on a draft ordinance known as AM2025-2 recommended defining and regulating ‘‘barndominiums’’ and asked the Plan Commission to forward a favorable recommendation to the County Commissioners with a clarifying condition on adjacency setbacks.

The ordinance draft defines a barndominium as a structure in which the attached nonresidential (storage/shop) portion exceeds 50 percent of the building's footprint; staff proposed that storage not exceed 75 percent of the total footprint and recommended larger setbacks where a barndominium would sit next to denser residential zoning.

Why it matters: the county is seeing a rise in inquiries and permit submissions for large, hybrid shop/residence buildings. Staff said the structures can be substantially larger and taller than typical homes and that clear rules are needed so adjacent homeowners and reviewers know when special review is required.

Staff presentation and proposal Mike Allen, Porter County building commissioner, presenting staff's paper to the Plan Commission, said the county has received multiple inquiries and at least one permit submission for these mixed shop/residence buildings. Allen summarized the draft: a 50 percent storage threshold would trigger the barndominium definition; staff recommended that storage not exceed 75 percent; standard…