Chelsea Retirement Community (CRC) got the go-ahead, 4-1, from the Chelsea City Council for a requested zoning change to Medical Center District (MC) which includes senior housing and different levels of supportive care services, for its 54-acre campus on Feb. 16.
Previously, the Planning Commission found that CRC’s land use plan meets the existing Area Plan and future development in the petition and will be adequately served by the city streets and utilities provided — as long as the main drive, all public and franchise utilities, and a pedestrian path are eventually extended south to Old US-12.
Planning Commissioners were told the tentative phases of the Area Plan include Cottage Development in 2017-2018, repurposing of Glazier Assisted Living in 2017-2018, renovations and additions to the Kresge Rehabilitation Center in 2018-2019, a Wellness Center in 2018-2019, and more Independent Living options in 2020 and beyond.
Christine Linfield, the city’s engineer and zoning official, said, “the MC district allows a wide variety of uses.”
Currently, the city allows assisted living and additional levels of care in other areas of the city. This change allows CRC to offer graduated levels of care in different buildings and not just in one building.
Council Member Jane Pacheco voted against the ordinance and said she’d attended the meeting for the rezoning application. “While I support UMRC and senior housing, I don’t feel the rezone to MC is necessary.”
Unanimously approved were a zoning text of section 4.15 Highway Service Commercial District (C-3), which expanded and now lists all the permitted uses in the district, which is approximately from Commerce Park Drive south to I-94.
The allowed uses now encompass those allowed in the restricted commercial District (C-4).
Also approved was an amendment to the Restricted Commercial District (C-4) special uses to allow “Michigan franchise sealer for the sale of new and used cars and light trucks … to also perform collision repair … when it’s in addition to the dealer’s sales. This will allow an auto dealer to also perform collision repair as a special use in that district.
The changes will go into effect 20 days following publication in a newspaper.
Council Member Pete Feeney was absent from the meeting.
