06/23/2026
📢 IMPORTANT REMINDER REGARDING PARCEL SPLITS IN STARKE COUNTY 📢
Planning to split your property or adjust your boundary lines? Please read this first to save yourself time and future headaches!
While this is not a new ordinance, our office is strictly enforcing existing county ordinances to ensure all property divisions are handled correctly. Moving forward, all parcel splits and boundary alterations must be reviewed and approved by the Planning & Building Department before they can be processed by the Auditor and Recorder.
Per the Starke County Subdivision Control Ordinance (Sections 5-1-17 and 5-3-1), no parcel of land may be transferred, sold, or filed with the County Recorder until it has received the proper approval and endorsement from our office.
Why are we strictly enforcing this?
We want to protect property owners. In the past, some splits have bypassed our office, which can accidentally create a "non-conforming" or unbuildable parcel. If a newly created lot doesn't meet the county's minimum width and area requirements, the ordinance legally prohibits us from issuing any future building permits for that property. Enforcing this step prevents you from buying or creating land that you can't actually use.
What you need to do:
Before finalizing your survey or heading to the Auditor’s office, simply stop by the Planning & Building Department. To make this requirement fast and easy, we have instituted a straightforward Zoning Compliance Routing Form (found on our website).
If your split meets the zoning standards (or qualifies for a specific legal exemption), we will sign off on your routing form.
You can then take that approved form straight to the Auditor and Recorder to finalize your new parcel!
Our goal is to make sure your land works for you without any unexpected zoning surprises down the road.
If you have any questions about the process, minimum lot sizes, or how to get started, give our office a call or stop by!
