The produce market at 1569 Indian Boundary Road in unincorporated Chesterton looks likely to receive a continuance of the zoning variance it is requesting to stay open.
Wednesday evening, the Porter County Board of Zoning Appeals delayed a vote until June 19 to allow owner James Andershock and his attorney time to meet with the Development Review Committee to clarify what changes the county wants to see at the 31-acre property.
The fruit stand operates amidst single-family residential homes with the R-1 zoning designation. Two years ago, Andershock was granted a zoning variance that came with several stipulations. Surrounding homeowners say the problems with the stand have either remained the same or gotten worse.
Andershock’s attorney Clay Patton told the board the stand has operated in its present location for over 50 years.
Martha Gavagan, who lives in the 1200 block of Trillium Drive, was the first of several neighbors who spoke against the zoning request.
“Over the past two years everything has increased,” she said of the traffic ranging from semis delivering produce, to box and pickup trucks picking it up. “I’ve still seen people slamming on their brakes to turn into James Andershock’s produce stand,” she said. “It just gets old in the neighborhood.”
She said neighbors have taken to putting cones in their driveways to keep people from using them as turnarounds. “It’s not only an eyesore. It’s an aberration,” Gavagan said.
She and others also complained of pallets piled as high as the roofline of what they described as an unsightly pink building on the property, patrons and truck drivers not using previously agreed-upon entrances, horrible odors, agreed-upon hours not being adhered to, and the peace of a neighborhood ruined by the constant sound of a forklift right next door.
Suzanne Perkins lives in the 1500 block of Indiana Boundary Road.
“It used to be farmed. I liked it,” Perkins said of the land. “It isn’t anymore,” she explained, saying everything is now brought in. “It’s been a nightmare.”
Perkins said she was around 50 years ago in the era Patton spoke of. She said the produce stand was shut down when Andershock’s parents ran it then. “It took a while, but it was shut down.”
The produce stand had just as many supporters, primarily people speaking frankly about their inability to feed their families without Andershock’s rock-bottom prices.
Betty Moore, of The Pines, said she had to quit her job to take care of her mother-in-law after the woman suffered a stroke.
“It’s a nice supplement for me to be able to go to Jimmy’s to make sure my mother-in-law is taken care of,” she said. “I’m just thankful because without it we would have trouble affording food.”
Michael Schwanke, of Valparaiso, said he’s able to help his relatives, half of whom are disabled, thanks to Andershock’s prices.
“Andershock produce is a blessing for the entire area. He’s producing a necessary service for those of us who don’t have a lot of money,” Schwanke said. “I can’t afford to go to Jewel. Schwanke said he’s seen Andershock give food to people who didn’t have the money to pay for it.
Ruth Morisette, of Chesterton, said she’d be one of those people, but Andershock allows her to barter working at the stand in exchange for food. Money is very tight for Morisette and her husband David following his sixth heart attack.
“All we qualify for is more hospital bills,” she said of not qualifying for food assistance. “I just don’t think they realize how many people he helps. If you’ve never been in that situation, that you can’t afford anything, you don’t know what it’s like.”
After the audience had its say, board members took turns commenting on the situation. Board member Luther Williams said he found that Andershock had done a lot of work on his property in the last two years, though “I think he could do some things to help himself.”
“It sounds like maybe you need to be a little bit better neighbor,” Board member Jim Clarida told Andershock. Clarida said he visited the site and watched traffic for 15 minutes recently, and while it was heavy, none of it came or went from Andershock’s establishment.
While board member Marvin Brickner was perhaps the most critical, he indicated that he would support a continuance of the variance if changes were made. “I’ve never supported an operation like this in a residential area. It’s really wrong,” he said. “Having said that, he’s made admirable progress. Probably half of what we had on the list you have done.”
Board member and physician Brian Damitz said he’s well-versed in the choices people have to make because of the price these days.
“When I look at the prices of fruits and vegetables it’s disgusting,” he said. He sometimes has patients calling to apologize that they have to cancel their appointments because they can’t afford to put gas in their cars.
“A lot of people in this neighborhood are lucky,” he said. “There is a lot of good coming out of this property, so I’m going to ask this neighborhood to keep sacrificing.”
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
