The Chesterton Town Council will consider enactment at its meeting Monday night of the planned unit development ordinance which would govern Coffee Creek Crossing, the mall proposed for development on property annexed last year south of the Indiana Toll Road and east of Ind. 49.

Under the terms of that ordinance, the development would be strictly commercial in nature, although the petitioner, I-80 Partners LLC—whose principal is Bob Rossman—informed the council in 2007, when the land was annexed, that the development would be mixed-use, with commercial on the western edge and unspecified residential on the eastern.

Of the 51.17 acres in the PUD district, 38.19 would be dedicated to commercial/retail/business, 11.31 to open space, and 1.67 to rights of way. The 38.19 acres dedicated to commercial would be divided among five lots:

•A single one-story retail building not to exceed 20,000 square feet would be built on each of four lots.

•The fifth lot would be further subdivided into no more than five lots containing no more than a total of eight buildings, including an anchor building not to exceed 175,000 square feet. The total square footage of all eight buildings on the fifth lot would not exceed 350,000.

•The uses of the property would be limited to B-3, with three additional uses—a health and fitness center, a parking structure, and an environmental conservation area and preserve—and a number of prohibited uses: among them, adult entertainment center, antique shop , flea market, blood bank, bowling alley, coin laundry, massage parlor, mobile home sales, night club, bar, tavern, off-track betting, pool hall, odd-lot or closeout store, video arcade, and skating rink.

•The mall would be developed in two phases. In the first phase the four smaller commercial lots would be developed on the west side of the property as well as a six lot on the east side for stormwater management. Also in the first phase the intersection of North Calumet Ave. and Ind. 49 would be realigned, with traffic signals placed at that realigned intersection and at the main entrance of the mall. Construction of the infrastructure for Phase I would commence in March 2009 and be completed around December 2009. Infrastructure would be designed to be free-standing and operative regardless of the time frame for the various buildings to be built and occupied.

•In the second phase, after specific building uses have been defined, the main commercial lot would be developed and possibly subdivided into no more than five lots. “Development of Lot 4 will include a retail, office, or medical anchor and may be further subdivided,” the PUD ordinance reads. “Amendments to this ordinance to redefine specific building locations, building uses, architecture, building height, and site landscaping design not permitted by this ordinance will be considered at the discretion of the town.” Phase II is planned to commence in January 2011 with an estimated completion date of November 2011.

•A traffic impact analysis, its cost paid by the petitioner, must be completed by an independent consultant approved by the Plan Commission, whose analysis would be reviewed and approved at the time of primary plat.

•Lot 6, dedicated to stormwater management, will have nature observation areas and walking paths available for use by the public. It will be maintained by the property owners association.

•The PUD ordinance does include a variance from the Zoning Ordinance to permit five-story buildings, not exceed 70 feet in height, on Lot 5.

According to the PUD ordinance, “The commercial choices made available will include choices that currently don’t exist in Chesterton. These additions such as national chain restaurants and general merchandise stores will offer a fine quality of product at a fair price for the community as a whole.”

Town Manager

In other business, the council will consider on final reading an ordinance which formally defines the duties and purview of a town manager. Of note, that ordinance would grant the town manager the authority both to hire and to fire town employees, consistent with state statute, and on the recommendation of the particular department head. In practice, however, Indiana Code governs most of the hiring and firing done by a municipality. Thus the Metropolitan Police Commission is charged with hiring and firing police officers, the Utility with that of its employees, and so on.

The ordinance would also grant the town manager the authority to “supervise and coordinate the operations of all Chesterton town departments. Personnel matters involving department heads are to be determined by the Town Council, with the advice of the town manager.”

This ordinance is a beefed up version of a previous job description drafted by the consensus of the council. That job description specifically did not grant a town manager either hiring and firing authority or supervisory authority.

The ordinance was approved on first reading at the council’s last meeting by a vote of 3-0. Absent from that meeting were members Dave Cincoski, R-3rd, and Sharon Darnell, D-4th.

Posted 7/25/2008