Fine dining in Downtown Chesterton—more fine dining—may be only a technical bureaucratic designation away.

At its meeting Monday night, the Town Council voted 4-0 to create by resolution the Chesterton Riverfront Development Project, and in doing so took advantage of a loophole in Indiana Code governing the issuance of liquor licenses. Member Dave Cincoski, R-3rd, was not in attendance.

“One of the benefits of the designation of ‘riverfront area,’ Town Manager Bernie Doyle told the Chesterton Tribune after the meeting, “is that it allows us to circumvent the population quota for liquor licenses. We’re hoping to recruit a fine-dining establishment to the Downtown, possibly in the Antiques 101 building. This is another arrow in our quiver for economic development Downtown.”

Under the resolution, the riverfront area extends 3,000 feet from either bank of Coffee Creek as it winds its way south to north through the Downtown. Very roughly, those limits describe a district bounded—west of Coffee Creek—by the CSX tracks to the north, West Porter Ave. to the south, and as far west as Eighth Street; and—east of Coffee Creek—by the Norfolk Southern tracks to the south, the east arm of the Little Calumet River to the north, and as far east as Roberts Road.

In fact, the resolution approved by the council does not mention fine dining as one of its objectives. Instead, it states that the Chesterton Riverfront Development Project would initially consist of three components: the development of a Downtown overlay zone intended for inclusion in the updated Chesterton Comprehensive Plan; the restoration and expansion of the boardwalk at Coffee Creek Park; and the identification, acquisition, and development of real estate for Downtown parking facilities in the Riverfront Development area.

As Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann noted, however, the resolution may be amended at any time. “That’s how it starts,” he said. “But you can add, subtract, or change anything later.”

Liquor licenses permitted under the riverfront area designation would be made available to restaurants only, Doyle said, and only in the Downtown. “We’re trying to encourage fine dining and to encourage other businesses to stay open at night. We’re trying to stage the Downtown much as the City of Valparaiso did but without designating it an historic district, which severely limits what property owners can do with their buildings.”

Earlier in the meeting, several persons spoke from the floor in favor of the resolution. Heather Ennis, executive director of the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce, called it “a wonderful opportunity for the community.”’

“I think it’s a good idea with a lot of potential,” Marjorie Crawford said. “But property owners would want to be included in the discussion.”

Patricia Carlisle also spoke in favor. “There’s a lot of excitement about it,” she said.

Also speaking from the floor was Machelle Blount, president of the Duneland Business Initiative Group, which spearheaded the return of the Wizard of Oz Festival to Chesterton. “I want to thank everybody for Oz, particularly the staff and town employees, the volunteers, and everybody who came.”

Later in the meeting members added their own words of praise for Oz. “Thank you everyone who was involved in the Oz Fest,” said Member Jim Ton, R-1st. “It was a great experience. ‘No place like home,’ I’d have to agree. Organizers, department heads, it just came together well.”

Oz was “a prime example of how public and private folks can work well together,” noted Member Jeff Trout, R-2nd.

“I did go to the Oz Fest,” added President Emerson DeLaney, R-5th. “It was very enjoyable, very well put together. It went very smoothly. My hat’s off to DBIG for bringing it back to the community.”

Posted 9/29/2009