Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Town Council formally rejects Nekus post office development

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By KEVIN NEVERS

John Nekus’ proposed planned unit development--dubbed Duneland Prairie and slated for construction behind the Chesterton Post Office--is dead.

At its meeting Monday night, the Chesterton Town Council voted unanimously to reject the PUD ordinance, on the Advisory Plan Commission’s 5-2 recommendation in March.

The issues, as Member Jim Ton, R-1st, enumerated them on Monday, were simply not adequately addressed by Nekus: drainage, density, and traffic. “We had hoped (the plan of development) could be amended but it looks like those amendments have not been made,” he said.

Member Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, for his part recalled advice given late last year to the owner of property on 1100N, when annexation of the property was being discussed. The plan of development “is not beneficial to the town,” DeLaney remembered telling the property owner at the time. “Go back and re-work it. And then come back to us.” That same advice was given to Nekus, DeLaney said, who “did re-work it but not sufficiently. There were too many variances from Town Code.”

Linda Vogt, a resident of Richter Street--which Duneland Prairie would have bordered to its north--did want to know whether Nekus can return to the Plan Commission with another plan.

“He does have that option,” DeLaney replied. “He can come back and present a new plan. But again, it is a very long process. A very long process.”

Associate Town Attorney Julie Paulson glossed DeLaney slightly. Nekus can return to the Plan Commission as soon as he wishes, but the plan of development would need to be “substantially different.”

“It is not our problem,” DeLaney said. “He paid for the property. Make it right.”

“If the pencil isn’t sharpened down enough, it may have the same fate,” Ton suggested.

Bob Sexton, a resident of Westchester South--which Duneland Prairie would have bordered to its west--wanted to know why the property in question was zoned B-3 in the first place. “What’s the history?”

No one on the council was able to answer that question, except to say--as Ton did--that the B-3 zone extends west from the Post Office on South Calumet Road.

Tom Albano--whose home on Primrose Circle would have backed right onto Duneland Prairie--acknowledged that everyone who lives in his neighborhood understands that the property to the east is zoned B-3. But nobody can tell them why. In any case, Albano expressed his gratitude to the Town Council and the Plan Commission. “We’d like to thank you guys, because that development back there would really have hurt our quality of life.”

“Too much stuff was going into too small a space,” Tom Byrnes added. “You did the right thing.”

 

 

Posted 4/9/2019

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

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