August 19th & 20th, 2026
ABOUT THE SELLERSBURG UDO OPENHOUSE — WHAT IT IS, AND WHAT IT ISN’T
What is the UDO?
The Unified Development Ordinance is the Town’s rulebook for how land can be used and how new buildings and improvements are designed. It details what can go where, how tall it can be, parking, landscaping, and signs. The Town is updating it and wants your input.
Which areas does this cover?
Four districts: the Town Center, Downtown, Downtown Neighborhood, and Gateway Overlay (the I-65 entrances and main corridors). Click here to see the zoning map for reference.
Does the Town build the restaurants, shops, and housing?
No. The Town does not build or own businesses. Private owners and developers decide whether to invest and what to build. The Town’s role is to set the standards the rules everyone has to follow. When the survey asks what you’d like to “see more of,” it means which uses the rules should allow and encourage.
Can the Town require only local businesses, or keep out chains?
No. By law the Town must treat all applicants equally and cannot favor locally owned businesses over larger or out-of-town ones. The Town can shape how a building looks and functions, but not who owns the business inside it.
What does “density” mean, and why does it matter?
Density is how many homes or living units are built per acre. More homes near downtown put more customers within walking distance of shops and restaurants. Fewer homes or living units keep a more spread-out feel.
Do I have to live inside the town limits to participate?
You need to live or own property within Town’s limits. This is for updating the rules for the residents, businesses, and organizations in the Town. This information will be used to help guide land use policies by the Town’s Plan Commission and Town Council.
UDO Update FAQs:
Town of Sellersburg: UDO Questions
| Question: | Answer: |
| Is my property being rezoned? | No. This project reviews the standards that apply within four districts. It does not reclassify any parcel. If your property is in the TC, DT, DTN, or GO district today, it will still be in that district when this is done. |
| Will this raise my taxes? | No. Zoning and property assessment are separate systems. The Clark County Assessor determines assessed value; this ordinance does not change how that works. |
| I have a building that doesn’t meet current rules. Am I in trouble? | No. A building or use that was legal when established generally remains legal that is called legal nonconforming status. There are limits on expanding or rebuilding one, and those limits could change. |
| Is this because of a specific development? | No. No individual project prompted this. The Town adopted the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and this is the step that aligns the regulations with it. If you want to talk about a specific application, that goes through the normal Plan Commission process. |
| Who decided to do this? | The Town Council authorized the project and issued a request for proposals. Beacon Street Consulting was selected to carry it out, working with the Planning and Zoning Office. |
| What is this costing? | The consultant contract is a firm, fixed, not-to-exceed fee of $22,000, inclusive of all travel and printing. There are no reimbursables and no change orders for work within the agreed scope. |
| Why only four districts? What about the rest of Town? | The Town scoped this project to the mixed-use districts that carry its identity and where the gap between the plan and the rules is widest. The rest of the UDO is not being reopened in this phase. |
| Are you going to allow apartments / drive-throughs / tall buildings downtown? | Nothing has been proposed. |
| Will there be another chance to comment? | Yes. A public review draft will be posted in October for comment, and both the Plan Commission and Town Council hold public hearings in November. |
| Can I see the current ordinance? | Yes, it is available from the Planning and Zoning Office and on the Town website under Planning & Zoning Department in the main menu. |
OTHER WAYS TO GIVE INPUT: The Town of Sellersburg invites written comments on the update of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for the Town Center, Downtown, Downtown Neighborhood, and Gateway Overlay districts.
Comments are invited from residents of the Town of Sellersburg and owners of property located within the Town. Please include your name and your Sellersburg residence or property address with your submission. Submissions received from other interested persons will be noted separately in the analysis.
Comments should address the UDO update and may be submitted to JCorbett@sellersburg.org through September 23, 2026. Letters can also be mailed or dropped off to Town Hall located at 316 E. Utica Street, Sellersburg IN, 47172.
Comments received by that date will be considered in preparing the public review draft to be recommended to the Plan Commission, which will be posted for public comment in October. All submissions become part of the public record and will be summarized for the Plan Commission and Town Council as they consider the update.
This comment process is in addition to, and does not limit, participation at the UDO Open House sessions on August 19 and 20 or at the public hearings before the Plan Commission and Town Council later this year, which are open to all interested persons.