The Chesterton Advisory Plan Commission gets its first opportunity Dec. 17 to comment on a final draft of the updated town comprehensive plan.

A public hearing on it and possibly a recommendation to the Town Council regarding final action could take place at the Jan. 21 commission meeting, one month behind schedule.

A.J. Monroe of consultant SEH, who with a town steering committee is developing the plan update, told the commission Thursday his group has been engaging the community in a multitude of ways following two previous public input sessions.

Monroe said the final draft will be delivered next week for staff/steering committee review. Commission member George Stone said he wants to see the document, and particularly the proposed land-use plan, well in advance of the Dec. 17 meeting; other members agreed.

“The more time we have ahead of time to review it, the better for you,” Mike Bannon told Monroe.

At the Sept. 10 project kick-off meeting, a key need cited was to preserve Chesterton’s historic downtown. A downtown riverwalk-type attraction is proposed adjacent to Coffee Creek. Also eyed is better management of the bustling Indian Boundary Road corridor, and ways to manage growth south along Indiana 49.

Developer Cliff Fleming wants to build his mixed-use The Village at Pope’s Farm on 81 acres at the southwest corner of Indiana 49 and County Road 950N., for which annexation by Chesterton was sought and approved.

Last night Fleming urged commission members to be part of the transformation of Northwest Indiana moving from steel to new opportunities that will come its way.

To that end he suggested willing stakeholders within the area bounded by Indiana 49, Meridian Road, the Indiana Toll Road and U.S. 6 be approached about jointly developing a master plan employing conservation-design principles for the benefit of all including Chesterton.

Because some of the land is in unincorporated Porter County, Fleming said the Porter County Commissioners as well as the cities of Portage and Valparaiso are being encouraged to participate, and he hopes the commissioners will address the offer next month.

A major player in the effort is the new Porter Hospital slated for construction by Community Health Systems at the northwest corner of U.S. 6 and Indiana 49, south of but not directly adjacent to Fleming’s parcel. He said a railroad separating both properties is an important stakeholder as well.

Plan Commission president Fred Owens called expanding the overall planning area a visionary idea, adding that a great medical facility will attract great doctors.

Pope’s Farm, still in the planning phase, initially is eyed as neo-traditional urban in design with single-family, medium and higher-density residential bounded by neighborhood retail and medical office buildings, however, Fleming said he continues to identify opportunities as we see where 21st Century technology and health care take us.

“I’d love Northwest Indiana to be the leading example,” he added. “I know the market will dictate it but given our location, we should sure as heck give it a good try.”

An apparent mix-up prevented extended discussion regarding a business group’s proposals for changes in sign regulations.

Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce executive director Heather Ennis, representing several business owners but not the chamber itself, said she previously sent the group’s suggestions for a presentation to the Town Council, but Plan Commission member George Stone said his board never received them. It was agreed the proposal will be forwarded and discussed Dec. 17.

Ennis said the group is interested in receiving permission to use perpendicular blade signage, wayfinding signage appropriately placed in the public right-of-way, sandwich-board signs located so as not to impede pedestrian traffic, and certain window signage.

Member Emerson DeLaney said the commission already has been given samples of sidewalk sandwich-board ordinances from other communities.

Stone said sign ordinances can be a headache when it comes to enforcement. Ennis said the chamber is willing to host a seminar on the sign changes, if approved, to do a better job educating its members.

Delaney asked if the sign proposal is meant to apply in the downtown only. Ennis said for the most part yes, but it’s hoped the right-of-way signs would extend throughout town.

On another matter, town engineer Mark O’Dell said he’s working with others to estimate the cost to build a walking trail that was supposed to be installed in lieu of a sidewalk in Phases 4 and 5 of The Villages of Sand Creek subdivision.

Last month the commission declared a default and authorized cashing in $40,000 the developer posted as a guarantee, but all involved said actual trail construction will cost much more.

Introduced Thursday was Julie Paulson, a new associate with town attorneys Harris, Welsh & Lukmann.

Posted 11/20/2009