Planning commission backs reinstating planned‑unit‑development option to help housing and mixed‑use projects

The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission voted May 6 to recommend reinstating a planned unit development (PUD) tool in the county zoning ordinance, a mechanism staff and developers said can facilitate higher‑density and mixed‑use developments on sewered sites.

Brook Richstead, in‑house counsel for Collins Equity Group, told commissioners that PUDs can give developers the flexibility to respond to market needs and suggested a procedure to allow limited administrative review for minor, non‑substantive changes so projects are not delayed by full committee cycles. “Sometimes some of these regulations can be daunting and just overly, restrictive,” Richstead said, adding that a technical review committee or delegated review can serve as a relief valve for minor design changes.

Staff and members pointed to draft language that already allows the planning commission to delegate review authority to the technical review committee for final development approvals. Commissioners agreed that the PUD option is a useful tool and moved to recommend the ordinance amendment to the county commissioners with the expectation that technical committee review procedures will handle minor adjustments.

Next step: The commission will forward a positive recommendation to the county commissioners for the May 19 meeting.