Potential new food options coming to South Main in Chelsea

There are a couple of plans before the city of Chelsea that if they come to fruition they could bring some name brand options to those looking for such things as a burger or coffee.

This past month the Chelsea Planning Commission was introduced to a proposal to transform the vacant land on the west side of the street next to Big Boy at 1620 S. Main Street into a parcel with three buildings.

The developer wants to build a 2,200 Square Foot retail building, 8,290 SF retail building including a Starbucks Drive-thru Restaurant and three retail tenants to be determined, and a 3,070 SF building including a Burger King Drive-Thru restaurant.

The land is just under four acres in size and is owned by Brightway Development LLC.

The planning commission approved the preliminary site plan with conditions that should be addressed as it moves its way to the next step.

These conditions, cited by staff and commissioners, included such things as traffic flow, parking, ADA compliance, storm water design plan and landscaping.

The city's ZBA also granted a variance to allow the developer's plan relief from the loading requirements to reduce the requirement from two loading spaces to one at the building with the Starbucks.

Julia Upfal, Chelsea’s Community Development Director, said the next steps should see the developer addressing the needs/conditions with a review by staff, and it should eventually go back before the planning commission for Final Site Plan review.

The second plan, which hasn’t been officially presented yet, is at the Big Boy restaurant. A proposal has been put forth to transform the building into a Culver’s.

Upfal said this plan is not a tear down, but rather a renovation.

The Culver’s plan might go before the planning commission on May 18. This is as long as city staff has all of the information. Upfal said on May 7, that final staff review of this item had not yet been completed.