By Lisa Carolin
A comprehensive, amended landscape plan for the United Methodist Retirement Communities new global campus in Chelsea was unanimously approved (Sarah Haselschwardt recused herself) by the at its Dec. 18 meeting.
The plan (based on the previous final site plan from Oct. 31, 2018) includes landscape plans for the entrance to the Chelsea Retirement Community, 805 W. Middle St., the Kresge addition, the Wellness Center, and the Prairie Cottages and involves better visibility with fewer trees in detention basin areas as well as specifying the species and size of trees.
Following a public hearing, Daniel Johnson, with IN-SITE LLC, who has worked on the Heritage Pointe subdivision, spoke to the Planning Commission about his request to amend the Chelsea Zoning Ordinance and allow maximum lot coverage not to exceed 35 percent (up from 20 percent) as required in Single-Family Residential Districts RS-1 and RS-2.
Johnson said the reason for the request is to allow more flexibility to reach a broader market range at Heritage Pointe, including empty nesters and baby boomers looking for one-story homes, and said it would encourage more variety in the type and design of housing.
His request states, “Where a PUD district is exclusively used for single family residential purposes (not mixed use); the maximum lot coverage (LC) shall not exceed (35) percent as also required in the Single-Family Residential Districts RS-1 and RS-2.”
Some members of the Planning Commission said they need more information before they can vote on the request, and the commission unanimously approved a motion to table it as a work session item with a date yet to be determined.
A site plan application filed by Chelsea Petroleum, Inc. regarding changes to the Shell Gas Station at 1629 S. Main St., which was on the commission’s agenda, was not ready so the commission voted to table it until its next meeting.
The Commission voted to adopt a revised version of the 2019 meeting calendar, which includes both work sessions and meetings.
To watch the full meeting video produced by Randy Lee of RK Studios, please click here
