Year in Preview: New developments for Chelsea

 The city of Chelsea has seen a growing number of residential areas in the last few years, and that trend is not stopping in the foreseeable future.

While Chelsea had 133 building permit requests from 2012 through 2015, the city had already had about 188 requests by October 2016, said Mayor Tony Picklesimer.

“We’re poised to have another somewhat of a housing boom,” Picklesimer said.

During its Nov. 7 meeting, the Chelsea City Council approved a rezoning request for a new subdivision on County Road 11. The development, to be named “The Highlands of Chelsea,” will contain a total of 196.9 acres and 82 homes. The developer, David Brogdon, also plans for the subdivision to include an area with businesses. 

The council approved another rezoning request for Chelsea Reserve, which was submitted by Scott Weygand with W. Development, at its Nov. 15 meeting.

Chelsea Reserve is a 114-acre property on County 336 and Dogwood Drive. The request to rezone 61 acres of the property from agricultural residential to residential, while keeping a 52.68-acre parcel zoned agricultural residential, was unanimously approved by the council, with Weygand abstaining.

There is one other subdivision which offers longer lots like the 1- to 5-acre lots in Chelsea Reserve, Weygand said, and this subdivision is the only one he knows of to offer a variety in lot sizes.

“A lot of people want acreage in and around Chelsea,” Weygand said, adding that people want to live in the Chelsea city limits, and he said this new subdivision will help meet that demand. Keeping one lot agricultural residential also allows the homeowner to keep horses or other animals on the property, Weygand said. 

“I think it’s a good opportunity. The market seems to be right for this kind of subdivision,” Weygand said. 

Clearing on the land for the subdivision started in December, and Weygand said he hopes to be ready to start selling lots in late January or early February.

Weygand said after developers have seen lots in subdivisions remain empty for months or years, the market is turning around, and demand for those lots is growing. 

“The lots that have been sitting for years are getting gobbled up, so it’s a good time to build,” he said.

The trend toward more houses is positive for the city, Weygand said, speaking not just as a developer but also as a Chelsea City Council member.

“The more rooftops, the better it’ll be to recruit businesses into the city,” Weygand said. “Of course, that helps generate more revenue for the city, so the city can provide more amenities in the city. … Any kind of growth is good, especially with rooftops, because businesses follow rooftops.”

The planning commission also approved Emerald Estates, a six-lot subdivision, during its December meeting.