Building & Design

The Building and Design Division issues building permits, performs building inspections, enforces land use ordinances, and enforces zoning regulations. The Building Inspector oversees the city's flood hazard ordinance and acts as the floodplain manager.

The Planning, Preservation, & Design Office Coordinator is responsible for assisting with Contractor Registration and renewals. All contractors building new construction, or making alterations or repairs to existing construction on structures totaling more than 100 square feet, or having a cost to the ultimate owner over $500, shall register annually. Each registration or renewal shall include a $50 annual registration fee and a copy of their current certificate of insurance. All plumbers shall provide a copy of their State of Indiana license at the time of registration or renewal. 

Permits:

Permits and applications related to Building & Design may be filed using forms found in the document center or online using the buttons below. 

   

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Related Ordinances:

• 2016 Lighting Ordinance
• 2016 Pain Clinic Ordinance
• Construction Standards
• Flood Hazard Area
• Madison Zoning Ordinance
• Subdivision Regulations

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Building Codes:

2003 International Residential Code (for construction prior to 12/6/2019)

2012 International Pool and Spa Building Code

2013 Design for Code of Acceptance: Post Frame Building

2013 Design for Code of Acceptance: Wood Deck

2020 Residential Building Code (for construction since 12/26/2019)

New 2020 Residential Building Code

Commercial Building Code

Code Enforcement

The Code Enforcement Division works diligently to ensure the City of Madison remains a safe and desirable place to live, work, and visit. The division focuses its efforts on gaining compliance with city codes that may affect the quality of life in our neighborhoods and the general welfare of our citizens. The Code Enforcement Division is responsible for ensuring compliance with those ordinances dealing with public nuisances, zoning, unsafe buildings, and other Land Development Regulations. The Code Enforcement Division does not regulate or enforce homeowner’s association deed restrictions or covenants and restrictions.

Report a Code Enforcement Concern:

Should you wish to report a concern regarding a property located within City of Madison, please use one of the following methods:  

• Paper Code Enforcement Violation Report Form

• Telephone at (812) 265-8324

• In-person at the City of Madison City Hall, 101 W Main St., Madison, IN  

• Online using the button below

When reporting a code issue, please provide a specific address with as much detail as possible regarding the issue in question. This will help Code Enforcement identify the correct property and begin an investigation more quickly.

Enforcement:

Upon receiving a complaint, Code Enforcement will perform an inspection.  Code Enforcement will then send a letter to the property owner listing all violations found and a time frame to correct the violations. Should the violation still exist when the property is again inspected, the city will dispatch a contractor to correct the violations. The property owner will receive a second letter listing the city's cost to correct the violation and a time frame to pay those costs. If the property owner does not pay the cost, a lien will be placed against the property for the city's cost to correct the violation, relevant fees, and a fine. 

The cost of the first fine is one hundred and Fifty dollars ($150.00). A two hundred and Fifty dollars ($250.00) fine will be issued for the second violation for the same infraction within one year of the date of the notice of the first violation. A three hundred and Fifty dollars ($350.00) fine will be issued for the third violation for the same infraction within one year of the date of the notice of the first or second violation. 

Related Ordinances:

Chapter 96: Nuisances, Health and Safety

Chapter 150: Building Regulations

Chapter 154: Unsafe Buildings

Chapter 155: Madison Zoning Ordinance

Planning

The Planning Division is responsible for both long-range planning, which involves guiding the City's future through the preparation of community-based planning and policies, as well as current planning through the review of development proposals. These efforts are all coordinated to contribute to making Madison a great place to live, work, and play. The city's policies and plans determine where and how the City will grow in future years and how that growth will be balanced with the availability of infrastructure and services and with the needs of the growing city.

In This Department:

The Director of Planning provides support to all staff and all boards/commissions on planning, zoning, and development matters. The planner will provide project management and technical expertise in the implementation of long-range city planning documents, offer assistance to applicants and the public, and perform staff technical review and reports. The planner will provide overall direction, development, and supervision of long-range planning for the City; create planning documents and reports to support department initiatives; administer an active grant program and seek additional funding opportunities for the City or general public; assist with development plan review and permitting; impartially advocate for the public interest in new developments and assist the Mayor with communicating and advocating the benefits to the community of planning and zoning; and coordinate activities and plans between City Departments.

The Associate Planner provides support to the Plan Commission board and Board of Zoning Appeals. The Associate Planner works with the general public and assists them with understanding filing deadlines, zoning, building permits, setback, and general construction standards as well as local ordinance requirements and guidelines regarding individual projects.

Visit the City's Current Projects Page for specific information on major Madison projects that are underway.

Visit the City's Planning Projects and Studies Page for the list of current planning projects or studies underway. You can also view all the previous studies or plans on that page. 

Preservation

The purpose of Madison’s Historic Preservation Program is to facilitate public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the City’s historic past, promote better awareness of its architectural and cultural history, work with residents and business owners to preserve that history, and foster civic and neighborhood pride so that future generations will have the opportunity to appreciate and understand Madison’s unique cultural heritage.

Why Preservation Matters:

Promotes an increased quality of life, economic development, increased and stabilized property values, job creation, and environmental stewardship

Demonstrates community pride through caring for what we have already built so that we and future generations have a sense of our shared history

Ensures aesthetic quality and diversity of the surrounding environment we enjoy every day and upon which we depend

Provides guidance for new development projects boasting economic and social benefits without destroying our history

The Historic District Board of Review meets each month to provide input and direction to the City’s historic preservation efforts through the administration of the Historic District ordinance.

Permits:

Permits and applications related to Historic Preservation may be filed using forms found in the document center or online using the button below. 

Board of Zoning Appeals

The Board of Zoning Appeals hears and discusses all conditional use applications, as well as variance applications. All applications for the Board of Zoning Appeals may be paid with cash, check made out to the City of Madison, or online through the payment portal. For meeting dates and filing deadlines, please view the meeting information (PDF).

Zoning Board Members:

NAME	POSITION	APPOINTED BY	TERM EXPIRES
Karl Eaglin	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2026
Scott Baldwin	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2026
Mark Acosta	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2025
Nancy Burkhardt	Board Member	Council	12/31/2028
Rick Farris	Board Member	County	12/31/2026
Joe Jenner	Board Attorney
Nicole M Schell	Staff

Meetings:

The Zoning Board meets at 6 PM on the second Monday of the month in the City Hall Council Chambers. Meeting dates are subject to change. Please confirm with the Office of Planning, Preservation, and Design for the correct meeting date.

Meeting are streamed live on the City of Madison YouTube. Watch the latest meeting here. 

Applications:

Applications to be heard before the Board of Zoning Appeals may be filed using the forms found in the BZA Documents Center or online using the button below. 

Historic District Board of Review

The Madison Historic District Board of Review administers the Historic District ordinance, which aims to protect the oldest and most historic parts of the city of Madison. The district encompasses the entire downtown area from the "toe of the hill" on the north, the Ohio River on the south, and city limits on the east and west. For meeting dates and filing deadlines, please view meeting information (PDF).

The City of Madison has recently updated the Historic District Design Guidelines and District Survey. 

• Madison Local Historic District Design Guidelines Update: Effective Jan 1, 2023 
  • Historic District Design Guidelines Final

• Madison Local Historic District Survey Update: Effective Dec 1, 2022

  • Survey - Online 

  • Survey Update Report Final

Board Members:

This Board shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor, subject to the approval of the Common Council. The members of the Board shall include professionals or those who have a demonstrated interest in or knowledge of the disciplines of architectural history, planning, and other disciplines related to historic preservation.

Length of Term – Three (3) years

NAME	POSITION	APPOINTED BY	Term Expires
Chris Cody	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2025
Happy Smith	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2026
Jed Skillman	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2026
Jared Anderson	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2025
Ryan Rodgers	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2027
Ken McWilliams	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2026
William Jewell	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2025
Joe Jenner	Board Attorney
Nicole M Schell	Staff
Brenna Haley	Staff

For more information or questions, please see the Contacts listed under "Contact Us" on this page.

Meetings:

Meetings will be held at 5:30 PM on the fourth Monday of the month from January through November. The December meeting will be held at 5:30 PM on the third Monday of the month.

Meeting are streamed live on the City of Madison YouTube. Watch the latest meeting here. 

Applications:

Applications to be heard before the Historic District Board of Review or by HDBR Staff may be filed using the forms found in the HDBR Document Center or online using the button below. Applications may be paid for with cash, check made out to the City of Madison, or online through the payment portal

PACE Program

The primary goal of the PACE Grant Program is to promote economic development by encouraging proper exterior historic rehabilitation and preservation to both residential and commercial properties located within the City of Madison.  This program provides eligible private-property owners with funds to aid in their rehabilitation or preservation projects. 

Grant Categories:

Rehabilitation Grant (Downtown Only)

This grant provides exterior or structural rehabilitation assistance to encourage private property owners within the Madison, Indiana local historic district to maintain, repair, and appropriately rehabilitate their historic structure(s).

Curb Appeal Grant (Hilltop Target Area Only)

This grant provides exterior rehabilitation assistance to encourage private property owners outside of the Madison, Indiana local historic district to maintain and repair their structure(s).  Projects must be visible from the public right of way. It does not fund interior projects.

Dilapidated Structures Grant

This grant provides for the partial demolition of dilapidated buildings within the City of Madison followed by rehabilitation. Dilapidated structures includes any man-made structure which, by reason of faulty construction or any other cause, is liable to cause injury or damage by its collapsing or by the collapse or fall of all or any part of such structure or any man-made structure which, because of its condition or because of lack of doors or windows, is available to or frequented by persons who are not lawful occupants of such structure. This grant program is available for structures that meet the requirements within the City of Madison limits.

Dangerous Buildings Grant

This grant provides for the demolition of dangerous buildings within the City of Madison. Projects which apply for this grant funding must have a letter from the City of Madison Office of Building and Design stating the structure is unsafe. This grant program is available for structures that meet the requirements within the City of Madison limits.

Paul Bruhn Grant Program

Program Introduction:

In 2022 the City of Madison announced it has been awarded a $325,000 National Park Service (NPS) Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant to support the city’s PACE Grant Program. The Paul Bruhn Grant Program was created to administer the awarded funds and disburse them to eligible projects.

Program Description:

The primary goal of the Paul Bruhn Grant Program is to encourage proper exterior historic rehabilitation and preservation to both residential and commercial properties located within the City of Madison’s Historic District.

A proper rehabilitation is one that maintains, preserves, and protects as much of the original or historic fabric as possible. Where possible, it is always preferred that historic materials are repaired rather than replaced. Historic architectural elements should only be replaced when they are either missing or deteriorated or damaged beyond repair. If an exterior architectural element is missing, reconstruction is recommended. Adequate historic documentation, such as pictures, should be used, when possible, to accurately reproduce missing exterior architectural elements.

Projects funded by the Paul Bruhn Grant Program must be in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. If the historic property is not currently protected by a preservation easement, a 5-year preservation agreement will be required that meets the minimum federal preservation requirements set by the National Park Service.

Application Review and Approval:

We are not currently accepting applications.  

Plan Commission

The Plan Commission Board handles all setback applications, rezoning applications, and preliminary subdivision development for the City of Madison. All applications for the Plan Commission Board may be paid with cash, check made out to the City of Madison, or online through the payment portal. For meeting dates and filing deadlines, please view meeting information (PDF).

Plan Commission Board Members:

NAME	POSITION	APPOINTED BY	TERM EXPIRES
Patrick Thevenow	Board Member	Council	12/31/2027
Joel Storm	Board Member	Council	12/31/2027
Josh Wilber	Chairman	Council	12/31/2027
Jerry Ralston	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2027
Van Crafton	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2026
Mike Armstrong	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2028
Karl Eaglin	Board Member	Mayor	12/31/2028
Rick Farris	Board Member	County	12/31/2026
Zac Laughlin	Board Member	County	12/31/2026
Joe Jenner	Board Attorney
Nicole M Schell	Staff

For more information or questions, please see the Contacts listed under "Contact Us" on this page.

Meetings:

The Plan Commission meets at 5:30 PM on the second Monday of the month in the City Hall Council Chambers. Meeting dates are subject to change. Please confirm with the Office of Planning, Preservation, and Design for the correct meeting date.

Meeting are streamed live on the City of Madison YouTube. Watch the latest meeting here. 

Applications:

Applications to be heard before the Plan Commission may be filed using forms in the Plan Commission Document Center or online using the button below. 

Floodplain and Stormwater Management

Floodplain Management Division

The Floodplain Management Division oversees the city’s flood hazard ordinance and the city’s Building Inspector and Director of Planning serve as the floodplain administrators.

Stormwater Management Division

The Stormwater Management Division manages both public stormwater infrastructure and compliance with the City's stormwater permit. Our goals for this division are:

• Educate and inform the public about urban runoff.
• Encourage public participation in community and clean-up events.
• Work with industries and businesses to encourage pollution prevention.
• Require construction activities to reduce erosion and pollution.
• Require developing projects to include pollution controls that will continue to operate after construction is complete.

The Director of Planning serves as the city’s stormwater supervisor and the Code Enforcement Officer serves as the city’s MS4 coordinator.

        IMPORTANT STORMWATER PERMITTING UPDATE

As of 12/18/2021, IDEM no longer administers the construction stormwater permit program through Rule 5 (327 IAC 15-5). Construction stormwater runoff is now regulated through the administrative Construction Stormwater General Permit (CSGP), a performance-based regulation designed to reduce pollutants associated with construction site runoff and/or land-disturbing activities.

You can find a copy of the new CSGP at https://www.in.gov/idem/stormwater/files/final_gen_permit_inra00000_construction.pdf.

IDEM has more information about the transition to CSGP and the new performance standards at their website, here. You can also visit our Resources for Contractors page for more information.

Applications:

Applications for floodplain and stormwater management permits may be filed using the forms found in the Document Center or online using the button below.

Report an Issue:

Should you wish to report an issue regarding stormwater, please use one of the following methods:

• Telephone at 812-265-8324
• In-person at the City of Madison City Hall, 101 W Main St., Madison, IN
• Online using the button below