The Brown County Area Plan Commission’s request to contract with a consultant to update definitions in the county’s zoning ordinance was approved at the Brown County Commissioners meeting on April 6.

The consultant, Dave Kieser from Kieser Consulting Group LLC in Indianapolis, first presented to APC during a work session on Dec. 29. Kieser is one of two consulting agencies that have offered services to the county in reviewing definitions, zoning and subdivision ordinances.

For the last three years, the APC has been trying to work on improvements to the zoning ordinance and addressing more pressing items first, planning and zoning director Christine Ritzmann said.

There were eight items total on that list, the last one being the modernization of definitions.

Ritzmann said that after addressing definitions at one or two work sessions, it was decided by the commission that there were so many to be improved, added or deleted that a consultant was probably the “best way to go.”

Where words like “telegraph” are used in the current zoning ordinance, definitions for words like “glamping” or “ziplining” are not included at all.

Kieser told the APC in December that he and his agency are planners, engineers and historic preservation specialists.

The process will entail a review of the current zoning ordinance, subdivision control ordinance along with phrases, wording and definitions. Those items will be compared with Indiana Code as well as more up-to-date codes with which Kieser has been involved in creating for other towns and counties.

When asked about a potential timeframe for completion of the update, Kieser said his firm does not like going over nine months to one year. Anything more than that tends to be “drawn out,” he said.

Not only will a review of verbiage be a part of the service, but also illustrations to help individuals understands definitions and phrases. The end product will be updated zoning and subdivision ordinances.

The reviewing process will involve Kieser’s firm, the APC, a steering committee of four or five community members, local developers and possibly an attorney, Kieser said.

Kieser said his firm is small enough to devote a lot of time and investment to it, adding that they will meet within APC’s budget.

The budget for the project will come out of the plan consultant line in the zoning department’s budget, which is set at $10,000.

APC President Randy Jones said the commission wished to focus on “workable and clear definitions” with consistency and how those definitions compare to state statute.

Kieser said he advises towns and counties to review codes every three to five years. Brown County’s comprehensive plan was updated in 2013.

The comprehensive plan includes goals and preservation for the county. It must be in agreement with the zoning ordinance. The updating of the comprehensive plan has to be initiated by the APC.

Updating the comprehensive plan is not on the table at this time because the APC wants to review definitions first.

With many counties creating five year plans, APC members previously have said the board should start with updating the comprehensive plan, which could change the zoning ordinance and affect a five year plan.

Kieser said his firm can do a “cursory review” of the county comprehensive plan and that it is the “precept” of the zoning and subdivision ordinance. There are also grants available for comprehensive plans Kieser’s firm could pursue for the county.

He recommended working with their firm to update definitions with illustrations along with get recommendations on updates to the comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance and subdivision control ordinance. The subdivision control ordinance is the development code for dividing property in the county, Ritzmann said.

The commissioners approved the contract unanimously.