Elkhart County amends courthouse-lawn rules; approves National Day of Prayer event

The county attorney presented an amendment to ordinance 2025-35 on March 23 that creates a defined historic courthouse lawn daytime-use area and permits non-governmental daytime gatherings so long as walkways and handicapped access remain unobstructed. Under the amendment, the day-use area is the two northernmost grass sections abutting West Clinton Street; it excludes sidewalks and other lawn areas.

The amendment sets a sound limit — the lesser of 85 decibels or the level allowed under the Goshen city code — requires amplification equipment to be aimed north toward the parking area (away from courthouse facilities) and requires events to respect application start and end times, including setup and teardown. After discussing compliance with Goshen code and accessibility protections, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve the ordinance amendment.

Following that change, County Administrator Jeff Taylor presented a request from Grace Community Church for a National Day of Prayer event on May 7 from about 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for roughly 200 participants. Taylor said the group revised its request to stay in the north lawn area, avoid blocking sidewalks and limit sound to 85 decibels; commissioners approved the request unanimously.

Why it matters: The amendment creates a clearer, constrained process for daytime events on the historic courthouse lawn while preserving existing after-hours rules and emphasizing accessibility and local code compliance.

Attribution whitelist: Steve Olsen, County Attorney; Jeff Taylor, County Administrator; commissioners.