The City of Elkhart Common Council on Nov. 17 adopted ordinance 25-0-38 to annex property known as the Prairie Street Cemetery and two adjacent parcels into the city.

President Dawson introduced the ordinance and the council moved to adopt it on second reading. Eric Trotter of the planning department spoke at the public hearing, saying, "I'm here representing the annexation of the street Cemetery this evening. It's permitted by right with a special exception. We're in favor pass unanimously at plan commission." No members of the public registered opposition during the hearing.

The clerk conducted a roll call for the second-reading vote; council responses were recorded in the affirmative and the measure passed 7-0. A motion to advance the ordinance to third and final reading was made and, after the title was read again, the council adopted the ordinance on third reading with a roll-call result of 7-0.

Why it matters: annexation incorporates the cemetery property and the two adjoining parcels into the city’s jurisdiction, which affects local land-use authority, municipal services and future maintenance or planning decisions. The annexation came with the planning department’s recommendation and a unanimous plan commission vote in favor.

What’s next: the ordinance was enacted following the third-reading vote; no amendments or conditions were recorded in the meeting minutes. Any future land-use or maintenance actions tied to the Prairie Street Cemetery will proceed under the City of Elkhart’s authority.

Provenance: The ordinance title and description were read aloud by the clerk and recorded (proposed ordinance 25-0-38). The planning department presentation and plan commission recommendation were delivered by Eric Trotter during the public hearing. The clerk recorded a 7-0 roll-call vote on both second and third readings.