The Chesterton Advisory Plan Commission paved the way Thursday for Duneland Community Church to purchase a permanent home for its congregation.

Voting 5-0 with Jeff Trout and Emerson DeLaney absent, the commission agreed to replat Pioneer Pointe subdivision so owner Wake Robin Inc. can sell the former Pioneer Lumber retail building to the church, which plans a renovation.

The Chesterton Board of Zoning Appeals in November approved two variances for the church so it can erect a new monument sign on the 2 acre site, but that approval was contingent on the Plan Commission accepting the subdivision replat.

Wake Robin Inc. president Dan Radtke and church pastor Greg Arthur were present Thursday. Attorney Greg Babcock represented both.

He said the parties are dedicating a 60 foot-wide easement so the remaining 8 available acres north of the church won’t be landlocked. Pioneer Pointe is located at the northeast corner of Indiana 49 and County Road 1100N; WiseWay, Curley Masonry, the Pioneer Lumber contractor’s yard and BMO Harris Bank are located there.

Babcock said with the necessary town approvals now in hand, Wake Robin Inc.’s sale to the church will be finalized within days.

In other Plan Commission business, members agreed to postpone until next month discussion regarding proposed changes to signage and business uses in the Business 1 and 2 zoning districts. Often discussed are tighter controls on sidewalk sandwich-board advertising signs, especially in the downtown.

The commission had hoped Thursday to have input from the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce, but commission secretary Gail Murawski said a chamber spokesperson indicated its members will be polled in January and input should be ready to share in February.

Commission member Sig Niepokoj said his board has been talking for months about the need for signage changes but has done pretty much nothing; it was agreed members would review the related zoning-ordinance pages and bring their comments to the Jan. 17 meeting.

Commission attorney Charles Parkinson said the zoning ordinance has to be consistent with the town’s comprehensive plan so that will have to reviewed as well if changes are made.