The Metropolitan Development Commission is the policy-making body for the Department Of Metropolitan Development . It has nine appointed members—five by the mayor and four by the City-County Council . Although the commission’s current name and structure date from the 1970 Unigov reorganization, it is the successor of the Metropolitan Plan Commission, which was created in 1955. That commission combined the planning and zoning decision-making for the city and county.
The Metropolitan Development Commission has more extensive policy-making authority than do the boards associated with other Unigov departments. In addition to reviewing departmental policies and budget requests, the Metropolitan Development Commission serves as the planning and zoning commission and as a redevelopment commission with litigative authority.
The MDC is empowered by statute to: plan thoroughfares; adopt amendments to and additional segments of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan; adopt resolutions concerning land use policy; approve ordinances for zoning and districting; approve and recommend ordinances for amendment or repeal of zoning ordinances; approve development plans; and exercise Board of Zoning Appeals powers to grant or deny special exceptions and variances
The commission has the power to designate a hearing examiner, appoint members of the Plat Committee, and appoint some members of the Boards of Zoning Appeals. Decisions of those entities are subject to appeal to the commission. The commission also is authorized to declare portions of Marion County as redevelopment areas, approve redevelopment plans for those areas, and acquire and sell property within those areas as part of the implementation of the redevelopment plans.
WILLIAM A. BLOMQUIST (1994), MAURY PLAMBECK (2021) Revised April 2021
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