Chelsea looks to bring building permits, inspections in-house

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Chelsea City Council discussed plans Tuesday evening involving the creation of a Building Services Department.

According to Mayor Cody Sumners, the city of Chelsea contracts with Shelby County to provide building permits and building inspections, which is "a contract that has been going on for over 20 years."

"This is us just kind of stepping out and looking to see if we're ready to take that on in-house and start doing our own building inspection and building permitting," Sumners said.

Sumners also described how the creation of the department would involve the creation of a building official position:

"The building official is the legal position that has the authority to enforce the regulations that we pass. So you have to create by ordinance and act of the council, that position, so that we could hire it and it gives them the legal authority to enforce the building code."

Sumners hopes the creation of the department will serve as another step of growth for the city of Chelsea:

"This is just another step as our city continues to grow and become what I like to call 'a real city.' Just kind of taking responsibility for our own services and providing those to our citizens and us being directly accountable to the citizens rather than it going through a third-party."

An estimated completion date for the department has not been announced.

In other business Tuesday, the Council:

  • Held a public hearing to approve a rezoning request submitted by Reagan Webster for property located at 2247 Alabama 32, Columbiana, containing +/- 7.28 acres, to go from A-R (Agricultural Residential) to E-1 (Single Family Estate District).
  • Held a public hearing to receive public input concerning amendments and clarifications to the city of Chelsea's zoning ordinance.
  • Appointed Gary Gagnard to the Parks and Recreation Board.
  • Approved a resolution to accept the streets in Willow Branch Subdivision.
  • Approved a resolution to accept the streets in Chelsea Acres, Sector 1, Phase 1B.
  • Authorized a traffic signal maintenance agreement (U.S. 280 & Shelby County 47).
  • Authorized Mayor Sumners to execute a contract with Shelby County Park & Recreational Authority for the Chelsea Storybook Trail.
  • Authorized Mayor Sumners to accept a proposal for a City Hall lighting project.
  • Approved a resolution to establish the position of building official.
  • Approved a resolution to establish a building permit fee schedule.
  • Held a first reading of a proposed ordinance to amend the city of Chelsea Zoning Ordinance.
  • Authorized a motion to suspend the rules for immediate consideration of proposed ordinances, including a proposed ordinance to approve a rezoning request submitted by Reagan Webster for property located at 2247 Alabama 32, Columbiana, containing +/- 7.28 acres, to go from A-R (Agricultural Residential) to E-1 (Single Family Estate District). Also included was a proposed ordinance to authorize the issuance, sale and delivery of a GO Warrant, Series 2026.
  • Authorized a proclamation to declare April 2026 "Sexual Assault Awareness Month."

The next regular meeting of the Chelsea City Council will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7.