Sec. 711. (a) The plan commission (or plat committee acting on its behalf), proceeding in accordance with IC 36-7-3-10 or with this section, has exclusive control over the vacation of plats or parts of plats.

(b) In a case in which not all the owners of land in a plat are in agreement regarding a proposed vacation, this section provides an alternate procedure under which one (1) or more owners of land in the plat may file with the plan commission a petition to vacate all the plat or only that part of the plat that pertains to land owned by the petitioner or petitioners. A petition under this section must:

(1) state the reasons for and the circumstances prompting the request;

(2) specifically describe the property in the plat proposed to be vacated; and

(3) give the name and address of every other owner of land in the plat.

(c) Subject to section 714 of this chapter, a petition under this section may also include a request to vacate any recorded covenants filed as a part of the plat.

(d) Not more than thirty (30) days after receipt of a petition under this section, the plan commission staff shall announce the date for the hearing before the plan commission (or plat committee acting on the plan commission's behalf). The plan commission shall adopt rules prescribing procedures for setting hearing dates and for providing other notice as may be required in accordance with this chapter. The petitioner shall pay all expenses of providing the notice required by this subsection.

(e) The plan commission shall adopt rules prescribing procedures for the conduct of the hearing, which must include a provision giving every other owner of land in the plat an opportunity to comment on the petition.

(f) After hearing the petition, the plan commission or plat committee shall approve or disapprove the request. The commission or committee may approve the vacation of all or part of a plat only upon a determination that:

(1) conditions in the platted area have changed so as to defeat the original purpose of the plat;

(2) it is in the public interest to vacate all or part of the plat; and

(3) the value of that part of the land in the plat not owned by the petitioner will not be diminished by the vacation.

(g) The commission or committee may impose reasonable conditions as part of any approval. The commission or committee shall furnish a copy of the commission's or committee's decision to the county recorder for recording.

(h) An applicant or other interested party may appeal the approval or disapproval of a vacation by the plat committee in the manner prescribed by section 402(d) of this chapter.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citations: 18-7-2-56 part; 18-7-4-711(a) part; 18-7-5-54 part.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.23. Amended by P.L.220-1986, SEC.23; P.L.126-2011, SEC.22.