Photo by Caroline Miller
The Chelsea City Council meets at Chelsea City Hall on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
The Chelsea City Council approved two rezoning requests on Tuesday for property along U.S. 280, one for a residential development and the other for a business development.
HighPointe Properties requested to rezone 28 acres along U.S. 280 for a new subdivision with 20 homes next to Forest Parks.
The request was to rezone the land from an agricultural-residential district, which requires lots to be at least 10 acres, to an R-1 single-family residential district, which allows for lots down to 20,000 square feet.
The request has been met with concerns from Forest Parks residents about traffic on Essex Drive, which is the entrance for Forest Parks and would also be the entrance for the proposed subdivision.
The City Council voted 3-2 in favor of the rezoning, with Councilmen Scott Weygand, Chris Grace and Arther Fisher Jr. voting in favor and council members Johnna Barnes and Casey Morris voting against.
Barnes said she was concerned about safety at the intersection of Essex Drive and U.S. 280.
“I used to have to drive it a lot when I was on a bus, which brought back thoughts of that, which was years ago, and I can’t imagine that it has gotten any better,” Barnes said. “Then when I heard the mayor say that he had talked to Shelby County and there was no plans to do anything there, I knew the safety issue was going to be big for me.”
Developer Connor Farmer said he understands the concerns from residents but said the proposed homes are close to the intersection with U.S. 280 and won’t require a long feeder street to get to the highway.
“I don’t feel like adding 20 homes to an existing neighborhood will create a significant issue,” Farmer said. “Traffic is an issue all over Shelby County. It’s the fastest growing county in the state, and Highway 280 is the fastest growing corridor in the fastest growing county, so you know anything that’s done up and down 280 is going to create a traffic issue.”
Mayor Cody Sumners has said that issues related to the intersection of Essex Drive and U.S. 280 would require intervention by the Alabama Department of Transportation because the federal highway is controlled by the state.
Sumners also stated during Tuesday’s meeting that he discussed safety concerns with the Alabama Department of Transportation related to Essex Drive and U.S. 280 and that the state had no plans to add a traffic light there.
Residents also previously expressed concerns about other issues such as noise, road damage and property values, but an agreement was reached with the developer about those concerns.
The City Council also on Tuesday voted 4-1 to rezone 17 acres along Brasher Lane and U.S. 280 from an agricultural-residential zone to a B-2 business district, which is proposed to be a multi-tenant commercial property. Morris was the only one to vote against that request. When asked about his votes after the meeting, Morris said he didn't have time to comment because he had somewhere else to be.
Sumners has said that initial plans for this property consist of a gas station, two restaurants and an additional facility which has not been determined, but one possibility for the additional facility is an entertainment venue of some sort.
Sumners has said there have been no concerns from residents in regard to this development. It won’t have a large impact on residential areas and was expected to be commercial, he said.
In other business Tuesday, the council:
- Approved an agreement with Shelby County that the city will not issue a certificate of occupancy for the Target store under construction at the intersection of Shelby County 47 and Chelsea Corners Way until the commercial developer of the site completes required roadway improvements along Shelby County 47
- Approved a contract with Varsity Sports to provide youth sports uniforms for the Chelsea Parks and Recreation Department at a cost of $83,409 for the 2026-27 sports seasons
- Accepted responsibility for the streets in the Brynleigh subdivision
- Approved an agreement with Wes Gerding for vending services at Chelsea City Hall
