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Chelsea Council discusses sports complex projects

by

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

The city of Chelsea is continuing its work for phase one and future phases of the Chelsea Sports Complex.

At the Feb. 16 Chelsea City Council meeting, Mayor Earl Niven discussed plans for the beginning stages of tennis courts as well as land for a second entrance.

During pre-council, Niven discussed an exchange with David Brogdon of Brogdon Properties. The city plans to declare a 50-foot by 70-foot plot of land within the sports complex property as surplus. That land will then be deeded to Brogdon, and he will use the land for a pumping station for The Highlands Community, a neighborhood Brogdon is building near the sports complex.

In exchange, Brogdon will be moving around 45,000 yards of dirt. The city will not have to pay for the dirt or its transport, Niven said, and that dirt will be used for the area where two tennis courts will be built. Niven said the dirt will be for the parking area, the road coming into the tennis courts and the foundation of the courts.

While the city will not have to pay for the dirt or its transport, Niven said the city will have to clear the land for the future tennis courts.

When the pumping station land is in Brogdon’s name, Niven said the city will de-annex the land so that Brogdon can annex it into Pelham, where the rest of the future Highlands Community development is located.

The city also discussed purchasing land from Brogdon to be used for a second entrance to the sports complex.

Brogdon plans to purchase around 13 acres of land near the sports complex and future Highlands Community, Niven said, but he only needs around 4.1 acres of that land as part of the subdivision.

The land is currently in Chelsea, Niven said, and once Brogdon purchases it, the land will be subdivided and the city can purchase the 8.9 acres Brogdon does not need.

“He said we don’t have to pay right now, and we can lag it out a little bit to buy it, but if we would just jot a letter saying we’re interested,” Niven said. “So I will draft a note to him saying we are interested."

The land will cost about $90,000, Niven said, which is the same amount Brogdon paid for it. The 4.1 acres Brogdon will own will then be de-annexed so he can annex the land into Pelham.

Also during pre-council, Niven discussed a potential exchange between Chelsea and resident Allen Shirley for clearing the land for the tennis courts. Niven said Shirley would clear the property and remove an old block building standing on the property. In exchange, he would get the trailer that is currently on the property.

Council member Juanita Champion said she strongly opposed the exchange, and the council compared the cost of clearing the land and removing the building — which would amount to around $13,000 — with the value of the trailer.

The trailer was previously used by the fire department, but it has not been used for at least five years. Niven said although the city purchased the trailer for more than $20,000 over 10 years ago, it would not sell on its own for very much. Niven said it was something he planned to speak with Shirley about later this week.

 “We’re not voting on anything tonight, this is just information,” Niven said.

Also at the Feb. 16 meeting:

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