Indianapolis, IN Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)

The Regional Center Secondary Zoning District, codified at Sec. 742-202 of the Indianapolis-Marion County Zoning Ordinance, layers extra design review on top of whatever Primary Zoning District a downtown parcel already carries, covering the Regional Center, the North Meridian Street Corridor and the Mile Square. Under subsection B, any development of land or demolition of a structure in these areas needs the Metropolitan Development Commission's approval through a site and development plan; outdoor cart sales regulated under Chapter 961 and lots inside a locally designated historic district under the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission are carved out from that requirement.

To file, an applicant submits a petition to the Administrator of the Division of Planning, who may approve, disapprove, approve with conditions, or refer the matter to the Regional Center Hearing Examiner; petitions for "high impact projects" are automatically referred to the Hearing Examiner with public notice of the filing. Subsection C.2.a lists what the site plan must show: existing and proposed buildings and materials, elevation drawings including window glazing reflectance, off-street parking and traffic patterns, landscaping, site lighting, signage, utilities and, for high-impact projects, a written statement of design intent.

Subsection C.2.b then sets the design standard itself: signage, building facade treatment, street furnishings, right-of-way landscaping and building massing must be designed to conform to the Regional Center Plan and the Regional Center Design Guidelines adopted by the Commission's Resolution 2008-CPS-R-003 on June 18, 2008, along with 11 further objectives covering sight lines to parks and landmarks, crime-preventing design, accessibility, mass transit access, and compatibility of materials, scale, color and pattern with the surrounding environment. A denial or conditioned approval by the Administrator or Hearing Examiner can be appealed to the Commission within 10 calendar days under subsection C.1.d, following Article VII of the Commission's Rules of Procedure.