Lafayette City Council votes on new restrictions regarding party barns

Noe Padilla, Lafayette Journal & Courier

February 9, 2023 at 5:09 PM·5 min read

Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski speaks to the Lafayette City Council, on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Lafayette, Ind.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Lafayette City Council approved an ordinance on first reading that would put restrictions on any new developments of agricultural rental halls, otherwise known as “party barns.”

Agricultural rental halls or party barns are normally used for rural events or as wedding venues.

This ordinance came to the board's attention after the Tippecanoe County Area Plan Commission (APC) approved a unified zoning ordinance amendment to agricultural rental halls at their last month’s meeting. This new APC ordinance affects Tippecanoe County.

The ordinance adds several requirements for new property owners planning on developing a new party barn.

The primary building being used at the party barn must be at least 1,000 feet away from the nearest dwelling not affiliated with the property.

The property owner must also install a buffer yard between the parking area and the adjacent properties in hopes of shielding the headlights of arriving and departing vehicles.

The buffer yard must be created with either a six-foot solid privacy fence, a berm or a double row of evergreen trees.

Party barns will no longer be allowed to have outdoor amplified music unless it’s for a brief ceremony or processional music.

The venue may only have a guest capacity of up to 300 guests unless otherwise approved by the state or county.

In the prior zoning ordinance, party barns were required to provide one parking spot per every four guests and one parking spot per every full-time employee. Under the new zoning ordinance, the venue must provide one parking spot per every 2.5 guests and one parking spot per every full-time employee

The ordinance also establishes hours of operation for party barns, which shall be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

For property owners who are already operating party barns within the county, these new requirements do not affect them. The APC agreed that those owners will be grandfathered in and can still operate under the old ordinance.

Although, if one of those grandfathered property owners wanted to develop a new project on their property, the property would lose its grandfathered status and would need to follow the new ordinance requirement.

Second Reading

Ordinance 2023-01: The ordinance saw both the Lafayette mayor and police chief request the city to create a social worker position within the Police Department and a request to change the title of the “Community Outreach Marketing Manager” position within the Police Department to “Community Engagement Manager.” The opioid settlement fund would fund the new position.

Ordinance 2023-02: The ordinance saw the board create two new funds to place appropriation funds for the opioid settlement unrestricted fund (fund #2256) and opioid settlement restricted fund (fund #2257).

The board unanimously approved the ordinance.

First Reading

Ordinance 2023-04: Zanik Corporation filed a request to the board to alter the zoning from I3 (Industrial Zones) to GB (General Business Zones) of property located at 3411 Fairfield Court, in Lafayette.

The petitioner plans to build a proposed urgent care facility.