Fort Wayne permits Accessory Dwelling Units under Chapter 157 of the Fort Wayne Zoning Ordinance, administered jointly with Allen County by the Allen County Department of Planning Services (DPS). ADUs may be integrated (attached/within the principal dwelling) or freestanding (detached). DPS issues an ADU Administrative Permit at a $150 application fee, and the Allen County Building Department (ACBD) issues the building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits under the Indiana Residential Code (675 IAC 14, adopting the 2018 IRC with Indiana amendments).
Fort Wayne and Allen County share zoning administration under a joint Plan Commission and Department of Planning Services arrangement authorized by Indiana Code 36-7-4. Chapter 157 of the Fort Wayne Zoning Ordinance (the City's zoning code on the American Legal codelibrary) governs land use within the city; Allen County's Title 3 zoning ordinance governs unincorporated areas. ADUs are defined as a second dwelling unit with independent cooking, sleeping, and bathroom facilities on the same parcel as a principal one-family dwelling. The DPS Administrative ADU Permit Application is required before construction; the fee is $150 payable to the Allen County Treasurer. Standards require ADUs to comply with accessory-structure dimensional rules in Chapter 157 (typically 3-foot side and rear setbacks for accessory structures in R1 single-family districts, and 25-foot maximum height), to share utilities with the principal dwelling where feasible, and to provide one additional off-street parking space. Building permits come from the Allen County Building Department (ACBD) at 200 E. Berry St., Suite 180, under the Indiana Residential Code (675 IAC 14, 2018 IRC with Indiana amendments effective 12/26/2019) and the Indiana Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Fire Codes. The Housing Options Zoning Ordinance Amendments (Engage Fort Wayne) introduced expanded ADU allowances in residential districts. Properties in historic overlay districts must obtain Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Review Board before building permits issue.
Unpermitted ADU construction is a zoning violation enforced by DPS Code Enforcement and a building-code violation enforced by ACBD. Stop-work orders, double permit fees, daily civil penalties under City Code Ch. 152, and required removal or after-the-fact permitting are standard. Occupancy without a Certificate of Occupancy is prohibited.
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