Porter County, IN Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Porter County zones roads with high scenic value into the Scenic Roadway Overlay (SRO) District, and Chapter 03, §3.09(C) 'Landscaping Standards' imposes a native-plant rule that does not exist in the county's baseline zoning districts. Subsection §3.09(C)(1)(d) states landscape materials 'shall be comprised of species native to Porter County or of species otherwise approved by the Executive Director,' and §3.09(C)(1)(c) says Landscape Plans are 'encouraged to utilize natural patterns rather than formal arrangements.' The same SRO standard protects what is already growing: cutting a healthy tree over eight inches dbh is barred within 100 feet of the right-of-way, and hedge rows within 75 feet of the right-of-way must be maintained or, if absent, installed, per §3.09(C)(1)(a)-(b).

Where SRO frontage requires a perimeter buffer, §3.10(B)(1)(b) repeats the native-species mandate for the 75-foot planting strip and sets a rate of 20 trees and shrubs per 100 lineal feet, at least half evergreen, arranged 'in clusters or irregular, nonlinear patterns' rather than a straight hedge. The native-species requirement is unique to the SRO overlay; the county's baseline plant-material standard for every other district, §5.23 LA-02(A)(3), only bars invasive species ('All plant material shall be non-invasive species not otherwise prohibited by the Executive Director') and does not require native stock.

Installation of any required landscaping, including SRO plantings, must be completed 'before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued' under §5.23(C), with the Executive Director able to grant up to a 180-day weather extension against a bond or letter of credit. The UDO took effect June 15, 2007, so a landowner inside the SRO corridor should confirm with the Plan Commission Office whether a later amendment has touched these sections before relying on the specific species standard.