Sellersburg council hires Beacon Street to update UDO and approves $12,500 housing market study

The Town of Sellersburg council on June 22 voted to hire Beacon Street Consulting to update portions of the town's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) affecting mixed-use zones and to approve a separate market analysis to inform that process.

Town Manager Charlie presented a favorable recommendation from the Planning & Zoning Commission and said the engagement with Beacon Street would be a one-time, not-to-exceed payment of $22,000 and would begin immediately once documents are signed. He told the council the consultant's initial milestones were expected by July 13 and that the plan is to return an ordinance amendment to the council by Nov. 23. "The end goal is to have a recommendation through the plan commission and then back before you guys on an amendment to the UDO via an ordinance before November 23rd of this year," Town Manager Charlie said.

The council also authorized a market analysis to support the UDO updates and the town's required housing-review work under House Bill 101. Staff described the study as a general market analysis covering single-family and multi-family conditions for Sellersburg and Clark County. The approved amount for the analysis was $12,500; staff stated the work was expected to be completed no later than Aug. 4.

During public comment, Thomas questioned whether council members and the plan commission had adequate time to review the RFP responses before making a recommendation. "I don't think they had time to review it and make a determination," Thomas said, noting the record showed four bids ranging from approximately $22,000 to $97,000 and asking why professional services were not solicited via sealed bids. Town Manager Charlie responded that professional-services procurements do not require sealed bids, that all four proposals had been provided to the plan commission in advance, and that higher proposals included travel costs for out-of-area firms.

Council members asked about local controls and how the UDO update would affect mixed-use and multifamily development. Charlie said the update aims to better define allowable uses by zoning district and noted the state's recent housing law requires local review and reporting. He described the UDO work as a way to clarify use types rather than to immediately change all residential zones.

The motion to contract with Beacon Street Consulting and the motion to fund the market analysis each passed by voice vote.

Next steps: staff said it will finalize the consultant agreement and begin scheduling public input sessions as part of the UDO update process.