Each February, at the beginning of Chelsea’s budget planning process, the City Council holds a visioning session.
The meeting serves as an opportunity for the City Council to discuss plans for the coming year and gain an understanding of the key projects that are either underway or planned for the year and beyond.
This meeting took place on Feb. 12 at The Depot, and was attended by about 20 people, which included city staff.
Although no formal votes are taken, the elected officials discussed a wide variety of topics from economic development to road projects, housing, zoning, parks and regional initiatives.
Some of the highlights were:
- The city’s zoning ordinance update is moving forward with requests for proposals due on Friday.
- The Sibley Road resurfacing project is planned for 2021
- The Washtenaw County Road Commission is expected to repave M-52 to the west city limit in June or July; work is planned for Jackson Road through Lima Township, a culvert replacement on Cavanaugh Lake Road is planned for the summer in Sylvan Township.
- There are small projects planned on the Wilkinson Street cross walks as well as Freer Road sidewalk infills.
- Local street resurfacing projects are expected to take place on Lane and Wellington streets that include utility work and the replacement of some sidewalks
- In March, a “Tactical Urbanism Pilot” program will use paint to enhance the walkability in key areas of the city.
- The city is moving forward with recommendations from the Sustainability Commission including a community solar project in conjunction with U-M students and the possibility of holding a Green Fair similar to the educational opportunity that’s held each year in Ann Arbor.
- The elected officials also discussed housing in the city and surrounding area as well as giving an overview of the major projects underway in the city including the Federal Screw works property and the Rockwell building.
- On the parks and recreation front, the newly formed Community Center Task Force is expected to be filled and that group will get to work looking at this proposal and the Parks Commission looks forward to a break in the weather so the first phase of improvements in Pierce Park can be completed. The group is also working on an update to its 5-year plan as well as opportunities to increase the amount of parkland and walking trails in the city.
The next steps in the budget process for city staff and the city council is a utility rate discussion on April 20 during which rate hikes are not expected, two budget work sessions on May 4 and May 11 followed by a public hearing on the proposed budget and utility rates on May 18.
The budget is expected to be adopted on June 1 with the state of the new fiscal year on July 1.
“In March, a “Tactical Urbanism Pilot” program will use paint to enhance the walkability in key areas of the city.”
WTH does this even mean and to who?