1 of 5
Erica Techo
Chelsea High School's theater program performed songs from The Sound of Music, it's upcoming musical, during the April 20 Chelsea City Council Meeting.
2 of 5
Erica Techo
Chelsea High School's theater program performed songs from The Sound of Music, it's upcoming musical, during the April 20 Chelsea City Council Meeting.
3 of 5
Erica Techo
Chelsea High School's theater program performed songs from The Sound of Music, it's upcoming musical, during the April 20 Chelsea City Council Meeting.
4 of 5
Erica Techo
Chelsea High School's theater program performed songs from The Sound of Music, it's upcoming musical, during the April 20 Chelsea City Council Meeting.
5 of 5
Erica Techo
Chelsea High School's theater program performed songs from The Sound of Music, it's upcoming musical, during the April 20 Chelsea City Council Meeting.
The Chelsea City Council tonight approved a six-month moratorium for building permits and business licenses for a few types of businesses. The moratorium applies to banking and financial services, mini-warehouses and storage facilities and veterinarian clinics and veterinarian hospitals.
The resolution, which was unanimously approved by all present council members, came about after an error was found in the city’s zoning code, Mayor Tony Picklesimer said during pre-council. Three errors found in the zoning code involved the zoning of the three previously mentioned types of business, and the moratorium was set in order to allow the city to correct the errors “before any business applications for any of the above businesses should be issued,” according to the resolution.
“We’ve been reviewing the whole [zoning] book and the business licenses, and in that review of the zoning code, we found where — I’ll use veterinary clinic as an example,” said Councilman Scott Weygand. “We’ve got a chart … [and] veterinary clinic’s not on there, but there’s a supplemental use for it. Which means that’s missing, so that’s an error. The others are like that too.”
The moratorium is set for six months, “or until the city council has resolved the errors in the city of Chelsea zoning code regarding the above types of businesses,” according to the resolution. The council can also extend the moratorium if it feels that is necessary.
For the issue to be corrected, the Chelsea Planning and Zoning Commission must first discuss it, propose the necessary changes and approve those changes to the zoning code. The changes would then come before the Chelsea City Council for final approval. Each action would require a public hearing, which requires two weeks of notice ahead of time.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a specially called work session on Monday, April 23, to discuss the matter. This work session will start at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.
During pre-council, Picklesimer also alerted the council to a request he had received from Liberty Baptist Church. The church request a 20-foot right of way in order to build a road along the back of the cemetery that is across the street from the church. This road would allow individuals to drive to funerals in a different part of the cemetery, Picklesimer said.
The city would never use the 20 feet in the requested right of way, Picklesimer said, and the road would be about 12 feet.
“I’m not asking you to make a decision,” he said. “I just wanted you to know the request had been made.”
Also during the meeting, the council:
- Approved an ordinance to approve the Back to School state sales tax holiday tax exemption.
- Approved an annexation ordinance for a 7.16 acre property along Old Highway 280.
- Approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to take actions necessary to close on the Renassant Bank building, which is set to be the future home for Chelsea Public Library. They are set to close on the building on Monday, April 23, Picklesimer said.
- Saw a performance of the Chelsea High School theatre program’s production of The Sound of Music, which will have a 7 p.m. show on April 28 and a 2 and 7 p.m. show on April 29.
