By Lisa Carolin
Changes will soon be made on the Chelsea Retirement Center campus thanks to unanimous approvals by the Chelsea Planning Commission at its Aug. 16 meeting.
The commissioners approved a preliminary site plan review for the wellness center and pool from Midwestern Consulting LLC on behalf of United Methodist Retirement Communities.
“The wellness center will have a pool, aquatics programming including therapies, an indoor walking path, and social opportunities at gathering areas,” said Tom Covert, senior project manager for Midwestern Consulting. “You’ll be able to enter the wellness center from the first floor of Dancey House and it will be connected to the Kresge Building.”
The construction will mostly likely entail a future request to the Planning Commission to remove the south wing of Glazier.
Planning Commissioner Sarah Haselschwardt told the representatives from Midwestern Consulting, “I would just say that you have a real construction challenge.”
The commissioners also approved requests for a combined preliminary and final site plan review for the entry reconfiguration at CRC, located at 805 W. Middle St.
The parking lot expansion will include 19 new parking spaces. Haselschwardt expressed concern about the crosswalk, going around instead of across the circle.
The site plan was approved with a note to continue to monitor the pedestrian crossing area. Construction is planned to begin this fall.
In other action, the Planning Commission unanimously approved a special use permit application filed by the City of Chelsea and the Downtown Development Authority to construct four apartments on the second floor of the Mack Building, located at 110 Jackson St.
Commission Chairperson Larry Ledebur said, “Our existing master plan supports that in the downtown district.”
Although the city is comfortable with the parking situation, several commissioners expressed concern about parking being limited in that area.
The owners of Chelsea Farmers Supply said that parking by the railroad tracks is extremely tight, which is problematic for their business, especially when there are events at The Depot.
The property is zoned commercial, and constructing the apartments will add four to eight cars that will need to park there.
Joe Ziolkowski is in negotiations with the city to redevelop the Mack Building. He recently purchased and renovated the old police station at 104 E. Middle St.
The Planning Commission also approved an amended final site plan for Golling Chrysler Doge Jeep Ram of Chelsea, located at 1185 S. Main St., which includes an enlarged trash enclosure, 31 parking spaces along the north line, and eight new parking lot pole lights as well as seven additional wall mounted building lights.
The parking spaces will be constructed with a porous pavement design to allow storm water to seep through the pavement into a stone reservoir.
Golling CDJR hopes to complete the project by the end of the year.
