CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Consider a request by Shorewood Development Group, LLC to initiate an amendment to permit self-storage facilities in the B2 (Community Shopping Center District) - PZC 20-1-113
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Scott Williams, AICP
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Upon City Council approval of the request to initiate an amendment pertaining to self-storage facilities, the proposed amendments (once drafted) will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) at a future public hearing for review and recommendation.
BACKGROUND:
Shorewood Development Group, LLC has petitioned the City to amend the B2 zoning district regulations to permit self-storage facilities in the B2 district, subject to certain conditions (see attached petition). Per Section 6-3-9 (City Initiated Text Amendments and Rezoning), either the PZC or the City Council may initiate a request to amend the zoning ordinance.
The proposed text amendment to the B2 district was prompted by the petitioner’s interest in the redevelopment of the Market Meadows Shopping Center, located at the northwest corner of S. Naper Blvd. and 75th St. (1265-1309 S. Naper Blvd.). This redevelopment would include, but not be limited to, updating and renovating the main courtyard where the self-storage facility would be located and constructing a new multi-tenant outlot building.
It is anticipated that, if initiated, the proposed text amendment will be processed concurrently with the petitioner’s associated entitlement requests for the proposed redevelopment including a self-storage facility at Market Meadows Shopping Center. Per the petitioner, if the proposed amendment is not initiated, they will continue to move forward with portions of the development, but will not have a user identified in the area currently shown as the storage facility.
DISCUSSION:
The intent of the B2 district is “to accommodate the needs of a much larger consumer population than is served by the neighborhood convenience shopping center district.” As such, the permitted uses in the B2 district include general retail, department stores, food/grocery stores, fitness facilities, eating/drinking establishments, and household appliance stores. The conditional uses in the B2 district include amusement establishments, automobile service stations, and motor vehicles sales. The complete list of currently permitted and conditional uses is attached. These diverse uses are meant to serve both daily and occasional shopping. The proposal would make a self-storage facility a conditional use in the B2 district.
The proposed text amendment would include a number of conditions that self-storage facilities must meet in order to be permitted in the B2 district. For example:
§ The facility must be located within a Planned Unit Development (PUD) and not exceed more than 10% of the total acreage comprising the PUD;
§ No outside display or outside storage of equipment, materials, or motor vehicles used in relation to the storage facility;
§ All sides of the building shall contain architectural detail and masonry materials to fit harmoniously with the character, use and zoning of the surrounding properties;
§ The maxim height is limited to 3 stories regardless of the maximum height otherwise permitted in the applicable PUD or B2 district;
§ All operations, including loading and unloading activities, must take place within the building, and trucks greater than 26’ would be prohibited; and
§ Truck and trailer rental shall be prohibited.
Although the intent behind the required conditions for self-storage facilities is to ensure minimal impact of the facility on surrounding properties, many B2/PUD zoning districts are located adjacent to residential areas. Staff finds that self-storage is not consistent with the retail environment of a shopping center, and it is more appropriate where it is currently permitted in the Industrial, OCI (Office, Commercial, and Institutional), and ORI (Office, Research, and Light Industry) zoning districts. If the amendment is passed, staff is concerned that since there are too many qualifying sites in the City the risk of multiple new storage facilities being built and transforming the intent of the B2 district would be too great.
Furthermore, based on the structure of the zoning code, any conditional use in the B2 district is also permitted as a conditional use in the B3 district. Accordingly, this text amendment will be applicable to a greater scope of commercial areas, including Ogden Avenue.
Based on the above, staff does not recommend that the City Council give direction to initiate an amendment to the B2 zoning district to consider adding self-storage facilities as a conditional use, subject to conditions, in the district. If initiated, the proposed amendment will be reviewed through the PZC public hearing process with final review by the City Council. The redevelopment proposal for Market Meadows Shopping Center is tentatively scheduled for review at the January 6, 2021 PZC meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A