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Porter County, IN Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Applies to
UDO-required landscaping only
Species control
Executive Director may prohibit species
Diversity cap
No species over 33% (20+ tree sites)
Installation deadline
Before Certificate of Occupancy
Extension allowed
Up to 180 days, seasonal conditions

Summary

Porter County's Unified Development Ordinance requires all landscaping material installed to satisfy the county's planting requirements to be non-invasive, with the Plan Commission's Executive Director holding authority to prohibit additional species. The rule covers required plantings tied to a subdivision approval or an Improvement Location Permit, not incidental gardening elsewhere on a lot.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Porter County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

3. Permitted: All plant material shall be non-invasive species not otherwise prohibited by the Executive Director.

View official code

Full Breakdown

22 LA-01(A)). 23 LA-02(A)(3), titled 'Permitted,' states that 'all plant material shall be non-invasive species not otherwise prohibited by the Executive Director,' putting the county's chief zoning administrator in charge of screening out problem species case by case rather than working from a fixed published list in the ordinance text. 23 LA-02(A)(4)). 23 LA-02(C)). 22 LA-01(C).

Violations & Fines

Installing a prohibited invasive species where landscaping is required, or letting required plantings die out and go unreplaced, is a Unified Development Ordinance violation under §5.22 LA-01(C) and can trigger the Chapter 11 civil zoning violation process. The Plan Commission can require corrective replanting, and a court-imposed fine under §11.09 runs $50 to $2,500 per day until the site is brought back into compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Porter County list which plants are considered invasive?
No. Section 5.23 LA-02(A)(3) of the UDO only requires 'non-invasive species not otherwise prohibited by the Executive Director,' leaving species-by-species determinations to that office rather than publishing a fixed prohibited list in the ordinance.
Does this rule apply to plants already in my yard?
No. The standard applies to landscaping required under a subdivision approval or an Improvement Location Permit for a new primary structure per §5.22 LA-01(A), not to existing residential gardens installed outside that permitting process.
What happens if required landscaping dies or is replaced with an invasive species?
Under §5.22 LA-01(C), failing to maintain approved landscaping is a UDO violation subject to Chapter 11 enforcement, which can mean a Plan Commission order to replant and a court fine of $50 to $2,500 per day under §11.09.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Porter County

Noise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome Restrictions

All Porter County rules

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