Planning committee reviews broad rewrite of Gary’s land-use code; final council vote set for May 19

The Gary Common Council’s Planning and Development Committee spent its meeting reviewing Ordinance 2026-16, a proposed unified development ordinance that would rewrite large parts of the municipal code to add design standards, clarify review procedures and tighten enforcement.

Planning Director Corey Sharp told the committee the draft code — posted on the city’s website at gary.gov/planning — reorganizes land uses and sets new standards for accessory structures, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), signs, landscaping, parking and fencing. “This draft code is on our website at gary.gov/planning,” Sharp said, outlining the ordinance’s goals to align the code with the city’s comprehensive plan and to make submission requirements clearer for developers.

Why it matters: Committee members and staff said the rewrite is intended to prepare Gary for anticipated development and to make approvals more predictable. Sharp described a new pre-permit development-plan process that would collect site plans, landscape plans, building elevations and engineering studies earlier so the city can coordinate technical review across departments before building permits are issued.

Key provisions and staff explanation - Accessory uses and ADUs: The draft requires accessory structures to be subordinate to a primary structure and adds accessory dwelling units on single-family…