Airspace Secondary Zoning District.
Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 742-205
in effectSec. 742-205. - Airspace Secondary Zoning District.
A. Use regulations. The following regulations shall apply to all land within the Airspace District. These regulations shall be in addition to all other primary or Secondary Zoning District regulations applicable to such land; in case of conflict, the more restrictive regulations shall control.
1. Prohibited uses for airport. Within that part of the airport instrument and airport noninstrument approach surface areas and airport transitional surface areas of the official zoning map, which extend within 10,000 feet from each end of a runway measured horizontally along the extended centerline of such runway, no building, structure or premises shall be erected, relocated or converted for use as a school, church, child caring institution, hospital, stadium, sports arena, public swimming pool, picnic grounds, public auditorium, theatre, assembly hall, carnival, amusement park, correctional or penal institution or any other public assembly use.
2. Prohibited uses for heliport. Within that part of the heliport surface areas and heliport transitional surface areas of the Airspace District and designated on the official zoning map, which extend 4,000 feet from the designated landing and takeoff area of the heliport, no building, structure or premises shall be erected, relocated or converted for use as a school, church, child caring institution, hospital, stadium, sports arena, public swimming pool, picnic grounds, public auditorium, assembly hall, carnival, amusement park, correctional or penal institution or any other public assembly use.
B. Height limits.
1. Airports. Except as otherwise provided herein, no structure or tree shall be erected, altered, allowed to grow or maintain within the Airspace District to a height in excess of the following height limits herein established for the applicable airport instrument approach surface area, airport noninstrument approach surface area, airport transitional surface area, airport horizontal surface area and airport conical surface area and designated on the official zoning map. (Such height limits shall be computed from the applicable runway elevation or airport elevation as designated on the official zoning map).
a. Height limits for the airport instrument approach surface area shall be: One foot in height for each 100 feet in horizontal distance beginning at a point 200 feet from the end of the instrument runway and extending to a distance of 10,200 feet from the end of the runway; thence one foot in height for each 50 feet in horizontal distance to a point 50,200 feet from the end of the runway.
b. Height limits for the airport noninstrument approach surface area shall be: One foot in height for each 50 feet in horizontal distance beginning at a point 200 feet from the end of the noninstrument runway and extending to a point 5,200 feet from the end of the runway; thence one foot in height for each 16 feet in horizontal distance to a horizontal distance of 10,200 feet from the end of the runway.
c. Height limits for the airport transitional surface area shall be: One foot in height for each seven feet in horizontal distance beginning at a point 250 feet from the centerline of noninstrument runways, measured at right angles to the longitudinal centerline of the runway, extending upward to a maximum height of 150 feet above the established airport elevation as indicated on the official zoning map; one foot vertical height for each seven feet of horizontal distance measured from the outer lines of all instrument and noninstrument approach surface areas for the entire length of such approach surface areas, extending to their intersection with the outer line of the conical surface area; and, beyond such points of intersection, beginning at the outer lines of all instrument approach surface areas and extending a horizontal distance to 5,000 feet therefrom, measured at right angles to the continuation of the runway centerline, one foot vertical height for each seven feet of horizontal distance.
d. Height limit for the airport horizontal surface area shall be: 150 feet above the established airport elevation as indicated on the official zoning map.
e. Height limit for the airport conical surface area shall be: One foot in height for each 20 feet of horizontal distance beginning at the periphery of the horizontal surface area and measured perpendicularly to the periphery of the horizontal surface area to a height of 350 feet above the airport elevation. Provided, however, if any area is subject to more than one of the above height limitations, the more restrictive limitation shall control. Provided, further, however, nothing in this article shall be construed as prohibiting the erection, construction, growth or maintenance of any structure or tree to a height of 50 feet or less above the surface of the land.
2. Heliports. Except as otherwise provided herein, no structure or tree shall be erected, altered, allowed to grow or maintained within the Airspace District to a height in excess of the following height limits herein established for the applicable heliport approach surface area and heliport transitional surface area and designated on the official zoning map. (Such height limits shall be computed from the applicable heliport landing and takeoff area elevation as designated on the official zoning map).
a. Height limit for the heliport approach surface area shall be: One foot in height for each eight feet in horizontal distance beginning at the end of the heliport primary surface area (such primary surface coinciding in size and shape with the designated takeoff and landing area of the heliport) with the same width as the primary surface area and extending outward and upward from a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet where its width is 500 feet.
b. Height limit for the heliport transitional surface area shall be: One foot in height for each two feet in horizontal distance extending outward and upward from the lateral boundaries of the heliport primary surface area and from the approach surface area for a distance of 250 feet measured horizontally from the centerline of the primary and approach surface areas. Provided, however, if any area is subject to more than one of the above height limitations, the more restrictive limitation shall control. Provided further, however, nothing in this article shall be construed as prohibiting the erection, construction, growth or maintenance of any structure or tree to a height of 50 feet or less above the surface of the land.
C. Performance standards. The following performance standards shall apply to all land within the perimeter of the airport conical surface area and heliport transitional surface area and indicated on the official zoning map.
1. Interface with communications. No use shall create interface with any form of communication, the primary purpose of which is for air navigation.
2. Glare; marking and lighting of airspace hazards.
a. All lights shall be located or shielded in such a manner that they do not interfere with runway, taxi, tower or any other airport and heliport lights or result in glare that may interfere with the use of the airport and heliport in landing, taking-off or maneuvering of aircraft.
b. Such markers and lights as may be required by the Indianapolis Airport Authority to indicate to air crews the presence of structures or trees constituting airspace hazards shall be permitted.
3. Smoke, dust, particulate matter.
a. The emission of smoke, dust, particulate matter and any other airborne material shall be subject to the standards of Chapter 511 of the Revised Code of the Consolidated City and County and regulations adopted pursuant thereto and which standards and regulations are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part hereof.
b. No use shall cause smoke, dust, particulate matter or airborne material of any kind to escape beyond the lot lines in a manner detrimental to or endangering the visibility of air crews using the airport and heliport in landing, taking-off or maneuvering of aircraft.
(G.O. 64, 2015, § 2)
Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIIPUHEWE_CH742DI_ARTIISEDI_S742-205AISEZODIFetched: 10/27/2026