Bartholomew County Plan Commission Meeting – March 11, 2026: Zoning Ordinance Discussion and Postponement of Subdivision Request

The Bartholomew County Plan Commission convened on March 11, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in Council Chambers, City Hall, Columbus, Indiana. Due to the absence of a quorum (multiple commissioners were out sick or otherwise unavailable), the meeting could not be formally called to order. After brief discussion, the commission postponed all action items to the next regular meeting on April 8, 2026, or a potential special meeting on March 24, 2026. The applicant for the sole public hearing item (SUB-26-7) agreed to the postponement. The commission then proceeded with an informal discussion item on proposed zoning ordinance amendments, led by city planner Jesse.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the December 10, 2025 meeting were listed on the consent agenda but were not approved due to the lack of a quorum.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made; the public hearing item was not opened.

Discussion Items: Zoning Ordinance Amendments (Housing Updates)

• City planner Jesse presented a comprehensive overview of proposed amendments to the city’s zoning ordinance, driven by the 2025 housing study. The changes aim to increase housing diversity and density, including reducing minimum lot sizes and home sizes, and introducing new housing types such as two-family, three-family, four-family, cottage courts, and various apartment scales. The city is removing the term “single-family” from zoning districts (e.g., RS3 becomes R3) and renaming RT to RM1 and RM to RM2 for lower- and larger-scale multi-family.
• For the county, three key proposals were highlighted:
  1. RE District Restructuring: The county’s single RE (Residential Established) district would be split into RE1 (historic downtown areas), RE2 (fringe areas near commercial centers), and RE3 (county areas). A new minimum lot size of 7,000 square feet would be set, based on the average of lots in existing county villages (St. Louis Crossing, Azalia, Grammer, Burnsville, Newbern, Waynesville, Taylorsville, Rugby, and Schaefer Lake, where average lot sizes range from 13,000 to 31,000 square feet). The intent is to avoid creating non-conforming lots while maintaining the character of existing neighborhoods.
  2. Minimum Living Area Reduction: The current minimum of 1,000 square feet would be reduced to 800 square feet for single-family dwellings. Jesse explained that this aligns with the average square footage in existing RE-zoned homes (which range from 500–1,000 square feet in county villages) and is intended to support affordable housing. The average home built in the county over the past 10 years is 3,300 square feet, so the lower minimum would provide flexibility without dramatically changing typical construction. The reduction does not apply to apartments (minimum 450 square feet) and does not permit mobile homes without permanent foundations.
  3. Removal of AV (Agriculture Voluntary Protection) Zoning District: This district, created about 20 years ago to allow landowners to voluntarily preserve farmland by restricting subdivision, has never been used. Commissioners discussed its original intent (including a potential property tax benefit that never materialized) and concluded it was “spring cleaning” to remove it, though the final decision was left open.
• Discussion also touched on data centers as a potential future zoning issue, but it was noted that they would be treated as industrial uses and the county’s discretion would apply during rezoning. Water consumption and utility concerns were acknowledged as non-zoning matters.
• Jesse clarified that the city’s changes are more progressive, and the county’s corresponding amendments would follow after the city’s adoption process (including public open houses and planning commission/council votes). The county commission expressed a preference for consistency between city and county ordinances.
• Commissioner questions explored the feasibility of smaller homes in county villages (given lack of sewer and services) and the potential for infill development in Columbus (e.g., City View hospital property). It was noted that denser housing types are not appropriate for rural county areas, so the RE3 designation would maintain the status quo.

Key Outcomes

• Postponement: The public hearing for SUB-26-7 (McCord Minor Subdivision, 2nd Replat) was postponed to the regular meeting on April 8, 2026, because the commission lacked a quorum. The applicant (Matt McCord) agreed to this delay. A special meeting on March 24, 2026 was discussed but not scheduled.
• No Formal Votes: No motions were made or votes taken on any agenda items, including the consent agenda, appointments (Plat Committee members, liaisons to Columbus and Hope Plan Commissions), or zoning amendments.
• Next Steps: The commission will continue discussion of the zoning ordinance amendments at future meetings, with the city process expected to conclude first. The county will then consider corresponding changes. Staff will prepare materials for the April 8 meeting, which will include the postponed subdivision and possibly the appointments.