Lake County's UDO sets no blanket ban on keeping an RV, camper, or boat at your home in unincorporated areas, but a recreational vehicle occupied or installed on a site more than 180 days is treated as 'development' needing approval. Off-street storage areas may require screening from R-zoned lots.
The Lake County Unified Development Ordinance (No. 2560) governs only unincorporated land under the Plan Commission; cities like Gary, Hammond, and Merrillville set their own RV rules. The UDO treats installing a recreational vehicle on a site for more than 180 days as 'Development, Land,' which triggers permit review. A dedicated recreational-vehicle park (2+ RVs) is only allowed as a Master Planned Development. Outdoor storage areas near residential (R) districts must be screened. Personal RV/boat storage on your own residential lot is otherwise allowed if the vehicle stays operable, licensed, and out of prohibited setback areas.
Civil zoning citation after a 15-day cure notice; fine up to $2,500 first violation, $7,500 subsequent, each day a separate offense (IC 36-1-3-8).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lake County, IN
Backyard composting of yard and food scraps is allowed in Lake County and encouraged by the Lake County Solid Waste Management District. A compost pile must ...
Lake County, IN
Lake County has no county-wide ban on artificial turf for residential yards. Installation is governed mainly by local zoning and stormwater rules and, in dev...
Lake County, IN
Native-plant and prairie landscaping is allowed in Lake County, but it must still comply with local rank-vegetation and detrimental-plant rules. Intentional ...
Lake County, IN
Collecting rainwater is legal in Indiana and Lake County imposes no barrel ban. Rain barrels for outdoor irrigation are unrestricted, though any barrel or ci...
Lake County, IN
Lake County, Indiana sets no county-wide day-of-week lawn watering schedule. Northwest Indiana is not a drought-rationing region, and outdoor water use is go...
Lake County, IN
Indiana law makes property owners destroy detrimental plants. IC 15-16-8-1 lists Canada thistle, Johnson grass, Columbus grass, bur cucumber, and shattercane...
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