Indiana County

Subdivision & Land Development Ordinance (SALDO)

A Subdivision And Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) is a tool used by local and County governments to regulate land development. This SALDO will replace the County's Subdivision Ordinance that was adopted in 1962 and amended, most recently in 1990. The guiding principle of our SALDO is to promote, encourage, and ensure responsible development rather than to restrict development.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the SALDO, please contact Josh Krug at

(724) 465-3877 or email: comments@ceo.co.indiana.pa.us

 

The Indiana County Board of Commissioners adopted the Indiana County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (No. 2023-0412) on April 12, 2023.

This ordinance will replace the Indiana County Subdivision

Ordinance, last amended in 1991.  The adopted

Ordinance is available above, and will be available in hard

copy form at the County Law Library, the Indiana County Office

of Planning & Development, the office of the Indiana County

Commissioners, and all public libraries throughout the County.

 

Projects requiring Land Development approval will be required

to receive such approval prior to being issued any building

occupancy permits from that date forward.

 

Printed copies are available at the Indiana County Office of

Planning & Development at a cost of $5.00.

 

Enforcement of this ordinance will begin on August 10, 2023.

Subdivision & Zoning Administration

The Indiana County Office of Planning and Development is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Indiana County Subdivision Ordinance and the Indiana County Special Recreation and Conservation Ordinance. The following will detail the purpose, jurisdiction, procedures, and regulations for each Ordinance.

 

Indiana County Subdivision Ordinance

The purpose of the Indiana County Subdivision & Land Development Ordinance is to ensure new building sites are suitable for construction through requiring compliance with accepted design standards, proper access to a public street, sewage approvals, and a property survey. These regulations control the subdivision of land in all townships and boroughs except White Township, East Wheatfield Township, Indiana Borough, Blairsville Borough, Burrell Township, and Homer City Borough.

 

All proposed land subdivisions must be coordinated with any other appropriate regulatory agency or provider (local township or borough, sewage enforcement agency, PennDOT, utilities, public water and sewage providers, etc) to discuss their regulations which may require adjustments to the subdivision design. Survey drawings prepared by a registered surveyor in accordance with the plan requirements, proof of access to a public street, proof of sewage approval, and the guaranteed installation of all public improvements are required as part of the review and approval process. To assist individuals in this process, the Indiana County Office of Planning and Development has prepared the Single Lot Subdivision Approval Guidelines and Requirements Checklist. This document details review and approval procedures, defines terms, and lists information that must be shown on survey drawings.

The following is how Indiana County defines subdivision applications.

 

Single Lot Subdivision

A Single-Lot Subdivision can be a building or non-building subdivision.

 

A building subdivision consists of the first and second building lots subdivided from an original tract of land as described in the deed of record on November 7, 1962 (effective date of the subdivision regulations).

 

Proposed lot(s) must have direct frontage on an existing public street or approved private drive street, have access to an existing public sewer system or have approval to use an on-lot septic system, and shall not include proposals for any public improvements, (new road construction, extensions or public water or sewer services, etc.).

 

A non-building subdivision is a subdivision of land proposed to be conveyed as an addition to an adjacent building lot or to be established as an independent lot upon which no sewage disposal system may be placed.

 

Minor Subdivision

A Minor-Lot Subdivision is a subdivision that contains three to ten lots all of which have direct and sufficient frontage on an existing public street, and no new construction or extension of public sewer and/or water lines are required to serve any or all of the lots.

 

Major Subdivision

A Major-Lot Subdivision is a subdivision that contains more than ten lots.

Subdivision Definitions

Indiana County Special Recreation and Conservation Zoning Ordinance

The purpose of the Indiana County Special Recreation and Conservation Zoning Ordinance is to protect the investment in and use of three County Parks (Blue Spruce Park, Pine Ridge Park, and Hemlock Lake) and Yellow Creek State Park from the encroachment of detrimental land uses. This is accomplished through the establishment of zoning districts around each park wherein the use of land and buildings is controlled through the regulations.

 

Permitted, Special Exception, and Prohibited uses are listed for a Buffer Zone and Conservation Zone around each Park. Plans for new uses or changes to existing uses must be reviewed and approved by the Indiana County Zoning Officer or the Indiana County Zoning Hearing Board. Specific use regulations, powers and duties of the Zoning Officer and Zoning Hearing Board, appeal procedures, and penalties for violations of the regulations are provided for in the Ordinance.

 

Property owners and developers are encouraged to contact our office with any questions on these Ordinances.

Phone:  (724) 465-3870

Fax 1:  (724) 465-3150

Fax 2:  (724) 465-3151

 

801 Water St.

Indiana, PA 15701-1705

Office Hours:

 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monday - Friday EST