Indiana Land Resources Council

About the Indiana Land Resources Council

The Indiana Land Resources Council (ILRC) was created in state law (I.C. 15-12-5) to assist local and state decision-makers with land use tools and policies. The ILRC is composed of representatives from county and municipal governments, home building and land development, business, environmental interests, soil and water conservation districts, and forestry, as well as a land use expert and a farmer. The ILRC’s mission is to evaluate all types of land use, not just agricultural land use. To read an in-depth article about about the Council and its work, click here.

Meetings

The ILRC last met on April 10, 2017. The next meeting has not been scheduled at this time.

Meeting Minutes

Model Ordinances

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture and ILRC believe the model agricultural zoning ordinances are valuable to counties across the state as they make proactive decisions about land use. There are many different strategies to accommodate the land use needs of a community, and the best approach for each county is to tailor solutions to its unique characteristics.

A Guide for Local Land Use Planning for Agricultural Operations - Updated November 2014

Agriculture Zoning Tools

Since the ILRC finalized the recommendations for model agricultural zoning ordinances, several local governments have implemented these concepts. As the ILRC had hoped, these tools enable local government leaders to adapt the recommendations to their community needs. Click on the document below to see how ISDA has worked with the counties to advocate use of the model ordinance principles and advise on the legality of proposed regulations.

Local Governments Adapt Land Use Models to Fit Local Needs
 

Planning for Agritourism: A Guide for Local Governments and Indiana Farmers

By combining agriculture and tourism, agritourism offers rural experiences to urban residents and economic diversification to farmers. Planning for agritourism requires a forward-thinking, locally-driven process. Planners must acknowledge agriculture as a land use and a business. The Indiana Land Resource Council (ILRC) designed this planning guide for agritourism providers, community leaders, extension agents, and rural economic development and tourism professionals.

Planning for Agritourism

 

Local Officials and Regulating Livestock Production

As an advisory body to state government, the Indiana Land Resources Council developed this guidance document to clarify the extent of local authority to regulate livestock operations. The purpose of this document is to aid state and local officials in understanding the roles and responsibilities of each unit of government in the regulation of livestock agriculture. It will first look at the specific powers granted to local units of government under the state’s land-use policies and then analyze the areas where state agencies have preemptive authority.

State vs. Local Authorities regarding Confined Feeding Operations 
 

A Cost of Community Services Study for Indiana Counties and School Corporations

Cost of Community Services (COCS) studies are a case study approach used to determine the fiscal contribution of existing land uses on local government budgets. These studies do not prescribe a course of action, but simply provide an assessment of a community’s fiscal situation with regard to different types of land use. COCS studies are a snapshot in time of costs versus revenues for each type of land use. They provide a baseline of current information to help local officials and citizens make informed land use and policy decisions. COCS studies are helpful in understanding the relationships between residential and commercial growth, agricultural land use and the community’s bottom line. This data is critical when planning for the future balance and placement of growth in a community.

Links to Resources and Information About Livestock Production

Confined Feeding Operations

Purdue Agriculture Air Quality Laboratory