Dear Editor:
There is an exciting opportunity right now for people to act to make Chelsea more diverse and resilient by offering a greater variety of housing here.
Zoning changes are being discussed that would make possible a wider range of housing options for important people such as essential workers and young families. These people are key to our city’s social and economic future.
The city has been collecting input from citizens on Chelsea’s vision for its future. If you were at the Farmer’s Market this summer or visited the city website you might have been one of the people expressing their opinions by putting dots on the different pictures displayed.
There is still time to make your visions and opinions known to the City Council and Planning Commission.
Would you like to see your parents, your children or other young families and the essential workers you employ or who serve you in so many situations, be able to afford to live in Chelsea?
Would you like to build an addition to your home (Accessory Dwelling Unit) that could house someone in the family, like a grandparent or younger person who would like to be on their own but close by? This addition could instead be rented out, providing a reasonably priced housing option and additional income that would make it more affordable for you to stay in your own home.
Also proposed is a district called Multiple Use/Form Based which provides opportunity for multifamily housing compatible with the look and feel of Chelsea.
All these opportunities are controlled by the zoning regulations that are being revised now. Decisions will begin in mid-December. To make your opinions count, submit your input as soon as possible.
Create a more resilient and diverse future for Chelsea. Contact your City Council Members and Planning Commissioners.
Stay involved after the zoning issues are resolved. Would you like to see the creation of a permanent Housing Commission to continue the focus on housing diversity in Chelsea?
Keep up to date by joining city council meetings at 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month or watch videos of the meetings available at www.city-Chelsea.org.
For more information and contact emails for your input https://www.facebook.com/OneWorldOneFamily/photos/pcb.10158925139487008/10158925133032008
Susan Morse, Debbie Osborne and Sandra Vadlamudi
One World One Family Housing Action Group
Thank you so much for bringing this important & pressing issue to the City Council and community’s attention. If Chelsea is to thrive long term and create a truly diverse community, this is a critical first step.
As much as I respect your view point, I am not a proponent of this action. We are in Chelsea because we want to be in a small town, we don’t want a lot of growth, we will then be just like all other large cities.