Interim City Manager Ned Keefe is asking the City Council to consider changes to the Chelsea zoning ordinance that would allow more types of recreational uses.
The request will go before the Planning Board and to a public hearing before the council takes a final vote on the request.
“The change seeks to revise the definition of Indoor commercial recreation to include more types of recreational uses,” stated Keefe. “The council approved a minor change to this definition in 2017 to include an archery tag and mystery game recreation facility. The city has received a request from a property owner in the Shopping Center District to accommodate a tenant that operates an adventure park facility.”
Keefe said the city administration believes the use is attractive, but the current definition of restrictive to allow it. The change would also make the use permissible, and more broadly expand the definition to encompass related uses.
The proposed change also looks to introduce the definition of Exhibit Hall to capture exhibit uses such as the recent Apollo Launch exhibition that was held in Chelsea and other related exhibits. In addition, the change seeks to modify the definition of Health and Fitness Club to include some uses that were named in indoor commercial recreation.
The proposed indoor recreation language includes a long list of potential uses, and allows the zoning enforcement to determine future uses similar to those listed. The indoor commercial recreation zoning does not allow for dance floors, adult entertainment, or shooting ranges.
In addition to more traditional uses such as arcades, bowling alleys, and laser tag, the proposed language includes e-sports, trampoline, adventure parks, trapeze, rope courses, ninja courses, golf, mystery puzzle physical adventure games, ice skating and rolling skating, dodgeball, martial arts studios, and virtual reality.
Exhibition hall is defined as an establishment at which pictures, art, multi-media, virtual reality, sculptures, or other objects of interest are displayed for the purpose of amusement, entertainment, or education. An exhibition hall does not include adult entertainment.