By PAULENE POPARAD

Project manager Jeff Ban told the Chesterton Advisory Plan Commission that there can be no talk of a Wal-mart, other retailers, a hotel or even medical offices in a planned 51-acre commercial development unless the town first changes the zoning there from residential to business.

And as for Wal-mart, “I want to be very clear: we’re not here tonight seeking approval for a Wal-mart. If the town says violently ‘We don’t want a Wal-mart,’ guess what? We won’t,” offered Ban.

But commission members said Thursday the current proposal for Coffee Creek Crossing isn’t specific enough to set it for a public hearing on even the rezoning.

“I’m reluctant to approve (a development) when it’s a bit of an open book. You’re talking about some kind of a planning free-for-all,” said member George Stone.

The commission’s reluctance didn’t stop more than a dozen neighbors of the site, annexed by Chesterton last year at the southeast corner of State Road 49 and the Indiana Toll Road, from criticizing both the proposed mall as disrupting their rural lifestyle, and the commission for being insensitive to their concerns.

"It angers me you want to move the center of your town to Liberty Township,” said North Calumet Avenue resident Tim Cole. Added Alan Hewitt, speaking on behalf of the Liberty Landowners Assoc., “Your growth is killing our rural Liberty Township.”

Dale Wingate, whose property would border the mall, stated, “I’d probably be opposed to anything going in here except a cemetery.”

The property owners were allowed to address the board under comments from the public on the meeting agenda. Commission attorney Charles Parkinson emphasized it was not a time for questions and answers or a debate.

Commission vice-president Sig Niekpokoj told the neighbors Coffee Creek Crossing is very preliminary at this point. As for their remonstrance, “It’s not going over our head. We’re listening to you people.”

Commission member Jeff Trout said his board has not considered a petition without taking formal public input and won’t start now. Addressing one particularly agitated speaker, “You’re not going to grandstand all night and take up other people’s time for something else,” said Trout.

A special meeting was set for July 1 at 6:30 p.m. at developer I-80 Partners, LLC’s request to firm up what uses can and can’t be allowed at Coffee Creek Crossing before the request goes any further. I-80 Partners attorney Cliff Fleming said he hopes to meet the notification deadlines so a public hearing can be conducted July 17.

Ban explained that when Coffee Creek Crossing’s 51 acres were annexed, the tract was assigned a residential zoning classification so any other uses would have to undergo special scrutiny as a planned unit development or PUD; at this point developers want to start that process by assigning Business-3 uses with some exceptions for zoning purposes.

The current residential zoning is a stumbling block to marketing the property, Ban told the commission. “They want it zoned commercial.”

Trout, who also sits on the Town Council, said the town has had discussions with a significant medical group offering higher-paying jobs about locating in Chesterton, but whenever they’re told a property is zoned residential, “It kills the deal.”

Wal-mart, traffic snags

Two other issues --- a possible Wal-mart and the traffic impact of potentially 300,000 square feet of retail space and a hotel --- were raised by remonstrators.

Marjory Crawford said as far as local businesses, “Wherever Wal-mart goes, everything else stops. We don’t need clutter with a big box. Are we going to allow China to put our businesses out of business?” Pat Seguin said even Wal-marts are closing as new ones are built, and there’s three within 10 miles of Chesterton already. Holly Futrell and John Rittel urged that vacant sites in Chesterton like the old Jewel be redeveloped first.

According to Ban, the State Road 49/Toll Road parcel is a major intersection in northwest Indiana, not just Chesterton. If the town balks at commercial development there, “Then we have to look at something else.”

Seguin urged the town not to offer the project any tax abatement; Ban said there have been no discussions to that end and likely none sought.

Janet Ryan representing the Northwest Indiana Steelheaders said a creek affected by the development is part of the area salmon fishery and drains into the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve so any construction would require special provisions. Ban said they recognize the sensitive nature of the watershed and will work with interested groups.

Mary Seguin said Chesterton’s own comprehensive and strategic plans call for business development to occur in the town center working outward, not at a newly acquired far border. Other speakers called for studies to assess the traffic impact on State Road 49 and two-lane North Calumet Avenue, which would be widened and relocated into mall’s west entrance. There would be no direct connection to the Toll Road.

By a 6-0 vote with member Fred Owens absent, the commission authorized town engineer Mark O’Dell to secure an independent consultant of the town’s choice to review traffic data submitted for the mall. Developers will reimburse the town for that expense.

An immediate problem, said Ban, is that North Calumet Avenue between U.S. 6 and State Road 49 is closed for bridge work, complicating a traffic study. Commission member Mike Bannon asked how someone can conduct a valid traffic study if the planned uses aren’t known. “I want to be sure we’re not writing a blank check.”

Fleming and Ban suggested designating the site a commercial PUD first, then as uses are defined conduct the appropriate review and studies for each. O’Dell said you can’t piece-meal a traffic plan.

Trout said there’s a lot of medical activity in Porter County right now. Two new hospitals will be built, one in Liberty Township. “It’d be a shame if we missed a significant opportunity because we can’t identify the zoning without a traffic study.”

Commission member Emerson DeLaney said the mall now is being proposed for construction as two phases. He asked how a stormwater plan can be sized without knowing what’s going in. Ban said after the zoning is resolved, they would have to return for the platting process where more specifics would be provided. Fleming said the town has more control over development if done as a PUD.

Two subdivisions OK’d

After months of discussion regarding each, the Duneland Trails and Springdale subdivisions were approved on primary plat by unanimous votes Thursday. The 362-home Sand Creek Farms had its public hearing continued although no one spoke in favor of or opposition to the 133-acre development.

Duneland Trails, a 40-lot single-family subdivision developed by Thomas Cahillane, is located on 15.5 acres at the northwest corner of County Road 1050N and County Road 50E (South Fifth Street); the three-way intersection will be upgraded by the developer.

Engineer John Hannon of Great Lakes Engineering said although it doesn’t appear any will be needed, Cahillane has committed to an evaluation of the nearby sewage lift station and will pay for necessary improvements.

Lot purchasers also will be notified that if their basements go deeper than 6 feet, they have to make special provisions at their own expense.

Neighbor Florian Steciuch inquired during public comment about the size of the proposed homes, their price range and any proposed landscaping. Hannon said town code will be met with both one tree per lot and street trees along the frontage. During a May 15 public hearing Hannon said the homes would sell for about $180,000 to $200,000.

Regarding 39-acre Springdale, 50 single-family homes and 22 owner-occupied duplex units were approved totalling 94 residences in addition to larger commercial/light-industrial lots on the west to buffer existing industrial uses there. The project, developed by Larry Wright and Don Coker, is on the south side of 1050N three blocks east of Indiana 149.

Improvements for the subdivision will bring the availability of water and sanitary sewers to several homes in the Crocker neighborhood as well as drainage upgrades to a number of residences along 1050N. Money also was donated toward development of a town park in Crocker.

Developers Eric Gastevich and Vlad Gastevich saw their Sand Creek Farms hearing continued giving O’Dell more time to review the extensive amount of engineering involved. Eric Gastevich said the project on the east side of County Road 250E at the eastern terminus of East Porter Avenue now meets or exceeds stormwater capacity with two ponds in addition to a wetland for overflow storage.

He and commission members said drainage in the surrounding area will benefit. “This is a win/win,” said DeLaney.

Vlad Gastevich said significant elements of the project are donation of 20 acres on 1050N for a major town park, and their architectural control committee to review plans for homes including materials, size and landscaping apart from the town’s building-permit review.

Posted 6/20/2008