The lakes
Private lakes at the center of the community, with beaches and boating limited to members.
Lakes of the Four Seasons · Crown Point, IN
Unincorporated lake community with its own building control committee
Lakes of the Four Seasons straddles the Lake and Porter County line east of Crown Point — an unincorporated community of roughly 7,000 residents governed by a property owners association with a Building Control Committee that must approve construction before it starts. There is no city hall here. County zoning and the POA covenants are the two authorities that matter.
History & architecture
How Lakes of the Four Seasons was built
The community was developed by Hoosier Marine Properties, Inc. as a complete planned residential community spanning Lake and Porter Counties, built around private lakes and a golf course.
Homes went up from the late 1960s onward, starting with modest lake cottages and ranches and continuing through decades of larger custom construction on the remaining lots.
The Lakes of the Four Seasons Property Owners Association, an Indiana not-for-profit corporation governed by a five-member elected board, has administered the community since incorporation.
The 2020 Census counted 7,091 residents in the census-designated place, making it one of the largest unincorporated communities in Northwest Indiana.
- Typical era
- Late 1960s–present
- Lot sizes
- Varies widely, from compact original lots to larger lakefront and wooded parcels
- Common types
- Original ranches and lake cottages, plus decades of custom infill
- Design review
- Yes — POA Building Control Committee, plus county zoning
Landmarks & shared spaces
Places that anchor Lakes of the Four Seasons
LOFS golf course
The association's course and clubhouse, one of the community's original amenities.
Gated entrances
Controlled entries onto the community's private street network.
Community beaches and parks
Association-maintained recreation areas throughout the development.
Deep River corridor
The waterway system east of Crown Point that shapes drainage in the area.
Businesses & districts
Where Lakes of the Four Seasons gathers
Route 30 corridor
The nearest large retail and dining concentration, north of the community.
Randolph Street, Winfield
Everyday services on the way toward Crown Point.
Downtown Crown Point
The historic square's restaurants and shops, a short drive west.
Zoning & overlays
Common zoning codes in Lakes of the Four Seasons
These are the base districts and overlays we see most often on Lakes of the Four Seasons lots. Always confirm your parcel's district and overlays on the Metro zoning map before design decisions get expensive.
Lake Co. RLake County unincorporated residential
Parcels on the Lake County side are zoned and permitted through the Lake County Plan Commission under the county's unincorporated area land use rules.
Porter Co. RPorter County residential
Parcels on the Porter County side fall under Porter County planning and zoning — a separate ordinance, staff, and board of zoning appeals.
Overlays that apply here
POA
LOFS restrictive covenants
The recorded covenants govern construction and exterior work community-wide, and the board adopts implementing resolutions under them — fencing is governed by Board Resolution 2025-09-23-2.
BCC
Building Control Committee
The association's committee must approve construction and exterior changes before work begins. This is separate from, and in addition to, county permits.
LAKE
Lake and drainage constraints
Shoreline setbacks, drainage between lots, and stormwater handling are recurring issues in the community and have been the subject of litigation.
Permitting path
- 1This area is unincorporated, so the county — not a city — is the permitting authority. Parcels on the Lake County side go through the Lake County Plan Commission; parcels on the Porter County side go through Porter County planning and zoning.
- 2The property owners association sits on top of county zoning. Its building control committee must approve new construction and exterior changes under the recorded restrictive covenants before work begins.
- 3Board resolutions adopted under the covenants govern specific items — fencing is the clearest example — and are updated periodically, so we work from the current resolutions rather than an old copy.
- 4County zoning relief goes to the county board of zoning appeals; association relief goes to the board and its committee. Two separate tracks, and both can be required.
- 5Septic, well, and lake or drainage setbacks are common constraints out here. Confirm the health department requirements before locating an addition.
Why it matters
Lakes of the Four Seasons's place in Crown Point
LOFS is the largest lake community in the Crown Point area and functions as a self-governing town without being incorporated.
Its housing stock spans more than fifty years, so the project range runs from cottage-era gut renovations to new custom homes on remaining lots.
The two-county split and the POA layer make it the most procedurally complex place to build near Crown Point, which is exactly why the design work should start with jurisdiction.
Events & festivals
What happens in Lakes of the Four Seasons
Fourth of July on the lakes
July
The community's largest annual gathering, centered on the water.
Golf league and club events
Spring–fall
Association golf programming at the community course.
POA board and annual meetings
Year-round
Board meetings where covenants, resolutions, and assessments are set.
Designing here
What this means for your Lakes of the Four Seasons project
- Confirm which county the parcel sits in before anything else. The ordinance, the staff, and the board of zoning appeals are different on either side of the line.
- The Building Control Committee submittal comes before construction, and the current board resolutions — not an old covenant printout — are what govern.
- Original 1970s ranches and cottages here often have low ceilings, undersized footings, and dated framing. A conditions assessment before design decides whether to renovate or replace.
- Lakefront lots need the plan turned toward the water, with shoreline setbacks and view corridors established before the footprint is drawn.
- Drainage between neighboring lots has been a live issue in this community. Grading, downspout routing, and swale protection belong on the drawings, not left to the field.
- Where septic systems remain in service, the county health department's requirements can dictate where an addition and its bedroom count can go.
FAQ
Questions about Lakes of the Four Seasons
Keep exploring
Other Crown Point neighborhoods
Sources
- City of Crown Point — Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 150)
- City of Crown Point — Subdivision Control Ordinance (Chapter 151)
- Crown Point Planning & Zoning
- Crown Point Board of Zoning Appeals
- Crown Point Plan Commission
- Lakes of the Four Seasons POA
- LOFS — know the rules
- Lake County, Indiana — Plan Commission
- Porter County, Indiana — Development and Storm Water Management
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