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Meridian Street Preservation Commission (MSPC)

The Meridian Street Preservation Act (Indiana Statute PL 260-1971) was passed in 1971. It requires that any owner of property in the Preservation Areas (Primary and Secondary) must secure the approval of the Meridian Street Preservation Commission (MSPC) for any proposed change in land use (rezoning) or zoning variance of development standards. In addition, the owners of properties on Meridian Street (Primary Preservation Area) must have proposed modifications of exterior features through replacement or repair (see Design Guidelines) approved by the MSPC.

Whether you are a new resident of the Meridian Street historic area or a long time resident, there a few things to consider before making any changes to the exterior of your house or property.

North Meridian Street Preservation Area Design Guidelines, and other relevant information, is available on the MSPC website, MSPCOnline.org. The MSPC website is a good place to start when considering a project for your house or property.

A Certificate of Appropriateness must be applied for and obtained from the MSPC prior to starting work. When granted, the Certificate of Appropriateness is valid for commencement of work within 18 months of issuance for the reviewed project. The application package and additional information is posted on the MSPC website.

“The Commission consists of a nine-member board whose members are appointed by the Mayor of the City of Indianapolis and the Governor of Indiana to ensure that the Meridian Street Preservation Act is upheld. The Commission is chaired by a representative from the City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development. A representative from the State of Indiana Attorney General’s Office serves as counsel.” (Quoted from the MSPC website.)

The MSPC meets in a public forum on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 4:00 pm at the Meridian Street United Methodist Church to hear and vote on homeowner petitions regarding changes they wish to make to their properties. Applications before the MSPC are posted to the MSPC’s website for public review.

Interested residents living in the North Meridian Street Preservation Area are encouraged to attend the hearings and voice their support or concerns for pending Certificate of Appropriateness applications.

Click on the image to the left to open a flow-chart providing step-by-step guidance for the process of making updates to your home exterior or grounds.  Make sure study this chart if you are considering beginning a project on your North Meridian Street home.

A portion of the text on this page is based on an article by Len Pilarsky originally published in the Meridian Street Foundation newsletter.