The Elkhart Historic and Conservation Commission on July 17 reviewed a draft of Chapter 15 of the city's Unified Development Ordinance that would introduce “conservation districts,” change how some exterior work is reviewed and reduce the commission’s regular meeting schedule to four times a year.

The proposal drew questions from commission members about what conservation districts would allow, how they would be mapped and whether the change is permitted under Indiana law. Deb, a preservation consultant working on contract for the commission, told the panel that under state rules a locality cannot immediately convert an existing local historic district into a permanent conservation district; the process is phased and begins with a three‑year period focused on demolition, moving structures, additions and new construction. “You can make a local district like you've got right now, or you can do a phased district where you map out an area. You start with 3 years as a conservation district … and at the end of 3 years, if a majority of the owners object in writing, then it remains a conservation district,” Deb said.

Why it matters: the change would alter which exterior alterations require a certificate of appropriateness (COA) and which do not, affecting homeowners, landlords and the physical character of historic neighborhoods. Commissioners said they want to protect houses that already meet the highest preservation ratings by offering single‑site historic district status and by working with owners to preserve those properties.

Key provisions discussed

- Meeting frequency: staff proposed moving regular commission meetings to four times per year “unless we have business,” to reduce canceled meetings when few COAs are pending.

- Conservation district scope: the draft would emphasize review of additions, new construction, moving of structures and demolition rather than routine repairs and material changes such as windows or siding. Kyle, a city planning staff member, described the change as focusing review “more on additions, new construction, moving of structures, and then demolition.”

- Single‑site historic districts: staff said homeowners of particularly well‑preserved properties could be assisted through a process to pursue single‑site designation to retain stronger material‑specific protections.

- Design guidelines and surveys: commissioners asked whether architectural design guidelines under section 15.4.0.4 would apply to conservation districts. The board discussed a historic survey conducted in the late 1990s and whether a new or updated survey would be needed to remap districts.

Legal and procedural questions

Deb told the commission that Indiana’s local preservation enabling ordinances do not allow an immediate, unilateral conversion of an existing historic district into a permanent conservation district; instead, local governments must remap an area and use the phased three‑year approach if they wish to pursue a conservation designation. “You can't just jump to that. The state doesn't allow it,” she said. She advised that remapping would require a recommendation from the commission and approval by the city council, and that an ordinance to revise or replace the current district ordinance would be required.

Commission members also noted that properties listed at the national level (National Register historic districts) limit local control; one commissioner observed that the Secretary of the Interior's designations and standards continue to play a role in what the city can regulate locally.

Concerns raised

Commissioners raised several practical concerns: whether conservation districts would permit substantial material changes (vinyl windows, fiber‑cement siding) without review; how owners of adjacent properties would be treated if one home is designated single‑site historic and the neighbor is not; and how the commission would determine what is visible from the public right of way. One commissioner summarized the worry: “To me, it sounds like anything goes as long as you leave the walls standing.”

Next steps

Staff said the draft remains at an early stage and has not yet been reviewed by the city attorney. Kyle asked commissioners to review the draft, send questions to Kyle and Eric in planning, and return comments at future meetings. Deb said staff would need to map any proposed phased conservation district and that council approval would be required before a three‑year phased review could begin.

Votes at a glance

The meeting included routine procedural votes: the agenda was approved by voice vote; the minutes of the June 18, 2025 meeting were approved by voice vote; and the meeting was adjourned by voice vote at 7:42 p.m. No COAs, ordinances or remapping actions were voted on at this meeting.

Ending: The commission did not adopt any ordinance at the July 17 meeting; members and staff agreed to continue reviewing the Chapter 15 draft and to request legal review and additional examples from other Indiana communities before any formal recommendation to city council.