Lafayette, IN Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Lafayette Municipal Code Title 12, Chapter 12.01 establishes the Historic Preservation Commission and states its purpose in § 12.01.010: to preserve and protect historic and architecturally worthy buildings, structures, sites, monuments, streetscapes, and neighborhoods that impart a distinct aesthetic quality to the city and serve as visible reminders of its historic heritage, while maintaining neighborhood distinctiveness and supporting heritage tourism. Commission members, appointed by the Mayor with City Council approval under § 12.01.030, form a nine-member voting body serving three-year terms and should include, where available, professionals in architectural history and planning.

The Commission designates local historic districts and classifies buildings, structures and sites within them as Outstanding, Notable or Contributing based on age and significance, per §§ 12.01.020 and 12.01.050; a Conservation District phase can precede full LHD status for three years. Within a designated district, § 12.01.070 requires a certificate of appropriateness before any demolition, moving of a building, or conspicuous exterior change, including to walls, fences, light fixtures, steps, paving, streetscapes and signs. Denials can be appealed to a three-member Appeal Board under § 12.01.110 within thirty days.

Enforcement runs through Commission Staff, who must give written notice of a violation and fifteen business days to cure it before penalties attach under § 12.01.160: $2,500 for a demolition violation, $50 for other offenses, accruing daily up to a $7,500 maximum per parcel, with proceeds required to benefit historic buildings within local historic districts. The city can also seek an injunction in Tippecanoe County Circuit or Superior Court to stop ongoing violations.