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Photo courtesy of Be Light Photography.
Bert Seitz.
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Photo courtesy of Billy Sanders.
Billy Sanders.
The Chelsea Planning and Zoning Commission recently added two new members. Billy Sanders and Bert Seitz were approved by the City Council on Feb. 19.
Sanders replaced David Calhoun, whose term ended in November 2018, and his full term will expire in February 2025. Seitz took over the remainder of Chris Smith’s term that expires February 2021, after Smith moved to the Board of Zoning and Adjustments.
Both men have lived in Chelsea for three years and said they plan to be around for years to come. They are looking forward to serving on the commission and advancing the city’s growth.
Sanders grew up near Alexander City and graduated from Auburn in 2007 with an electrical engineering degree. During his time there, he did commercial construction and built houses. After college, Sanders moved to the Atlanta area where he lived for nine years. Because his family was in the Birmingham area, they had always planned to return to the area and made the move back in December 2015.
“The opportunity came about to come back, and we fell in love with Chelsea,” he said. “It’s the perfect small-town feel, and also easy to get to Alex City, where my parents and in-laws live. We see Chelsea as where we’re going to be for the rest of our lives.”
Once they moved into their home in Chelsea Park, Sanders knew he wanted to be involved in the community. Although he wasn’t selected the first time he applied to the Planning and Zoning Commission, his opportunity came the second time around.
“I want to be able to give back to city where I live and get more involved,” he said. “For me, it is very interesting to take my background and knowledge with building codes to be able to use it on the planning commission.”
Seitz is a firefighter with the city of Bessemer and served with the Chelsea Fire Department for more than three years. While serving in the city, he enjoyed being able to keep up with the happenings. After moving to his home off Shelby County 32 three years ago, he said he has no intention of going anywhere else.
“I grew up over the mountain and traveled through Chelsea a lot but never spent time in it,” he said. “When I moved here, I fell in love with it. Being with the fire department gives you [an] inside look on how cities run, and that interested me.”
“When I found out about the planning commission opening, I thought I’d throw my name in the hat. The city is growing like crazy, and I want to be a part of it as much as I can,” Seitz added.
Sanders and Seitz attended their first Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Feb. 25, where they received a lot of information, including a packet for the U.S. 280 overlay district plan.
Commission members receive agenda items with recommendations from the city civil engineer, and their job is to ask questions before voting on each matter. The positions are unpaid and voluntary.
“I’m still learning and getting up to speed,” Sanders said. “For me, being on the planning commission is a good way to figure out what’s being planned in the city as far as subdivisions and rezoning. We will keep everything in line to keep the city where we want to go in the future.”
Members on the Planning and Zoning Commission serve for six years and must live within city limits. Other planning commission members are Mark Lindsey, Tom Holcombe, Cole Williams and Matt Lyons.
