Wayne County, IN Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Threshold
- 0 spaces required under 10,000 sq ft floor area
- Largest tier
- 5 spaces for 80,000-99,999 sq ft buildings
- Minimum space size
- 10 ft wide, 25 ft long, 14 ft high
- R-district buffer
- 50 ft unless enclosed or screened by 6-ft fence
- Fine range
- $25 to $2,500 per violation, per day
- Enforcing body
- Plan Commission / County Attorney
Summary
In unincorporated Wayne County, Indiana, any industrial, warehousing, wholesale, retail, service or commercial building that receives or ships goods by truck must provide off-street loading space under Wayne County Code § 156.395. The number of required spaces rises with building floor area, and every space must measure at least ten feet wide, 25 feet long and 14 feet high.
(A) (1) In any district in connection with any building or part thereof, hereafter erected or altered, which is to be occupied by industrial, warehousing, wholesale commercial, retail commercial, service or other uses requiring the receipt or distribution by truck of materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained off-street loading space in accordance with the following schedule: Floor Area of Building Sq. Feet Required Number of Off-Street Loading Spaces Less than 10,000 0 10,000 to 19,999 1 20,000 to 39,999 2 40,000 to 59,999 3 80,000 to 99,999 5 ... (B) Each loading space shall be not less than ten feet in width, 25 feet in length and 14 feet in height. (C) Loading space shall be on the same lot with the building they are intended to serve and may occupy all or any part of any required yard; provided, no such space shall be closer than 50 feet from any other lot located in any R district unless wholly within a completely enclosed building or enclosed on all sides by a well maintained wall or uniformly painted solid board fence not less than six feet in height.
Full Breakdown
Section 156.395(A)(1) requires any building in any district used for industrial, warehousing, wholesale commercial, retail commercial, service or other purposes that receive or distribute materials or merchandise by truck to provide off-street loading space on a sliding scale tied to floor area: zero spaces under 10,000 square feet, one space from 10,000 to 19,999 square feet, two spaces from 20,000 to 39,999 square feet, three spaces from 40,000 to 59,999 square feet, and five spaces from 80,000 to 99,999 square feet. Above 100,000 square feet the Board sets the number case by case under § 156.395(A)(2).
Section 156.395(B) fixes minimum dimensions of ten feet in width, 25 feet in length and 14 feet in height for every loading space. Section 156.395(C) requires the loading space to sit on the same lot as the building it serves and bars it from sitting closer than 50 feet to any lot in a residential (R) district unless the space is wholly inside an enclosed building or screened on all sides by a well-maintained wall or uniformly painted solid board fence at least six feet high.
Section 156.395(D) requires an access drive at least 18 feet wide where the lot does not front a public or private street, alley or access easement, and bars that drive from an R district except to serve a use the R district permits. The Wayne County Plan Commission and Zoning Administrator review these standards at improvement location permit stage.
Violations & Fines
Wayne County Code § 156.999 makes any violation of the zoning chapter, including the off-street loading standards, an ordinance violation punishable by a fine starting at $25 and capped at $2,500 per violation, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense. The County Attorney brings enforcement in Wayne County Circuit or Superior Court, and the Plan Director may also seek an injunction ordering removal of a noncompliant structure, with the losing respondent liable for court costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every commercial building in Wayne County need a loading dock?
How close can a loading space be to a residential district?
What happens if a business ignores the loading space requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wayne County
Compare Wayne County to another location·View the Indiana parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.