Planning commission recommends demolition ordinance changes to city council

The Tell City Planning Zoning Commission reviewed a proposed demolition ordinance and voted to forward the measure to the city council as a recommended ordinance after clarifying language was added, members said.

A commissioner moved that the commission "adopt this as a recommended ordinance" to be proposed to the city council; the motion was seconded and, on a voice vote, members said "aye." The Chair said the ordinance will be presented to the city council with additional language clarifying which ordinance controls in the event of conflict.

Discussion focused on three principal issues: bonding and licensing for contractors, the appropriate duration for demolition permits, and how the new ordinance should interact with existing local or state rules. Commissioners noted draft language that referenced both performance and liability bonds (one draft line showed a $1,000,000 liability number and a $1,000 performance bond figure) and several members agreed that the draft should require either a city contractor license or a performance bond rather than leaving the two as alternatives without clarity.

The commission attorney recommended the draft specify which ordinance controls if there is a conflict with prior code and pointed out that some enforcement provisions (for example, fines) may trigger additional public‑hearing requirements. The attorney and commissioners also discussed referencing state environmental or safety regulations (IDEM) and the state's unsafe buildings provisions to make clear that applicants must comply with higher‑level requirements.

After the discussion, a motion to recommend the draft demolition ordinance to the city council passed by voice vote; the record does not list individual roll‑call votes. The commission asked staff to add conflict‑control language and to return a revised draft for the council packet.