By Lisa Carolin
The Chelsea City Council and Lima Township Board discussed working together on developing the Wolf property located on North Freer Road.
Members of the council and board met at Lima Township Hall Monday, Jan. 30, for a work session regarding a possible 425 agreement between the township and city.
The Wolf property is 46 acres, and owners David Wolf and his brother, who grew up in Chelsea, want to see the property developed. Possibilities include single family housing, senior housing, and professional offices.
Chelsea City Council Member Melissa Johnson said, “My preference is for pure residential housing. We would welcome families with school-aged children.”
Council Member Peter Feeney expressed concern about the safety of both pedestrians and vehicle traffic in that part of town connecting with the rest of the city, while Craig Maier, supervisor of Lima Township, said that decisions would have to be made about whether the city would prefer to take over roadways or have them remain private.
There was some concern over the availability of utilities, but City Manager John Hanifan said, “Water, sewer, and electrical are all available.”
Norfolk Homes owns the property directly to the east, and two families are currently trying to sell the property at the southeast corner of Trinkle and Freer roads.
The work session concluded with a plan that the Chelsea City Council will have its own work session after which another joint session with the township board would be scheduled.
A map showing the properties in question would have been helpful in understanding exactly what is being discussed.