HomeMy WebLinkAbout3 - Climate Controlled Storage
To: Planning Commission
From: John Hinzman, Community Development Director
Date: August 12, 2019
Item: Ordinance Amendment #2019‐20 – Climate Controlled Storage Uses Within the C‐4
Zoning District
Planning Commission Action Requested
Hold a public hearing and review the proposed amendment to Hastings City Code Chapter
155 – Zoning, allowing climate controlled storage uses within the C‐4 Zoning District.
Background
Ed Rymer seeks to conduct climate controlled storage in the following areas within County
Crossroads (Coborns\33rd Street):
Convert a portion of the County Crossroads Strip Mall formerly occupied by Sears (275
33rd Street W) into climate controlled storage.
Construct a new climate controlled storage building at the northwest corner of the
Coborns\Crossroads Church parking lot (Outlot A).
Definition
Climate controlled storage facilities provide storage units that are heated and cooled, as
opposed to traditional mini‐storage units that do not regulate temperature (i.e. garage
storage). Climate controlled storage provides better protection of belongings from harsh
temperatures like extreme heat or cold, humidity or pests. The market for climate
controlled storage has grown over the last few years.
Zoning
Crossroads Center is zoned C‐4 Regional Shopping Center. Commercial districts within the
City do not allow storage as the primary use of a property. The I‐1 Industrial Park District
does allow storage as a primary use of property. Other areas zoned C‐4 include the
Westview Mall area, and the Highway 55\General Sieben Drive area (Cub, Wal‐Mart, former
Target).
Climate Controlled Storage in Commercial Districts
Many cities allow for climate controlled storage within commercial districts, most often on
property that has limited retail value and visibility. Most often this involves the
construction of a new facility for the specific purpose of storage. However vacant retail
sites have been repurposed for climate controlled storage in the last few years.
Planning Commission Memorandum
Local examples of climate controlled storage in commercial districts include
Planning Committee of City Council
The Planning Committee of City Council (Chair Vaughan, Balsanek, and Leifeld) met on June
6th and July 9th to consider Mr. Rymer’s request and potential ordinance change. The
Committee directed the Planning Committee to review a change to the ordinance.
Analysis
What is the effect to adjacent businesses, is the conversion of retail space to storage
detrimental to adjacent retail space.
What does the conversion of existing retail space to storage look architecturally?
The existing strip mall has seen increased vacancy over the last few years and mostly
consists of service businesses.
More Space Self Storage
68 Moreland Ave E – West St Paul
Located one block west of Robert St.
Adjacent to existing retail and commercial
Simply Self Storage
593 Commerce Drive ‐ Woodbury
Located behind Target west of Woodbury
Drive.
Extra Space Storage
1750 Hwy 36 W ‐ Roseville
Located in the former Sports
Authority space in an existing strip
mall south of Rosedale at Hwy 36 and
Fairview.
The two outlets located at the north end of the parking lot have been marketed for
sale for over ten years with no sales to date.
How would a change to allow storage at County Crossroads effect other areas of
Hastings?
The County Crossroads area has an overabundance of commercially zoned property.
The Vermillion Street Corridor Plan identified conversion of many areas of County
Crossroads to residential uses.
Existing private development covenants may regulate the conversion of retail sites
to storage in other shopping center areas in Hastings.
The decline of brick and mortar retail sites may increase the desire for storage
conversion elsewhere.
Mixing storage uses among retail uses has been prohibited in Hastings based due to
concerns of lessening retail viability of a site.
Attachments:
Ordinance Amendment
County Crossroads Concept Plan for Climate Controlled Storage
DRAFT
ALLOWANCE OF CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE USES WITHIN THE C‐4 DISTRICT
Planning Commission Draft
August 12, 2019
§ 155.02 DEFINITIONS.
CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE FACILITY. A storage facility characterized by individual
separate storage spaces which are accessible by customers for the storing and retrieval of
personal effects and household goods. Storage spaces are climate controlled to provide a
regulated temperature.
§ 155.32 C-4 REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTER.
(A) Intent. The intent of this chapter in establishing a regional shopping center district is in
recognition of future needs for one or more large commercial areas to serve the city and
surrounding areas.
(B) Uses permitted. All uses permitted in C-3 Community Regional Commerce District.
(1) Climate Controlled Storage Facility
(a) All storage activity must be conducted within a building. Exterior storage, or
use of accessory buildings, pods, trailers, and the like shall be prohibited.
(b) Single occupant buildings less than 20,000 s.f.
(c) Multiple occupant buildings comprising no greater than 50 percent of the total
building and no greater than 20,000 s.f. in total size.
Why utilize existing mall and parking lot space at Crossroads Mall
for a climate-controlled self-storage facility?
• Building conversions have been an increasing popular option on a national basis for fi lling, ex-
panding and utilizing vacant outlots in the self-storage and mini-storage industry. This oppor-
tunity exists at Crossroads Mall where one looks around and sees an old, empty shopping mall,
a closed Sears store, or a going-out-of-business Best Buy with a sprawling parking lot.
• With the rising popularity of on-line retail, malls and traditional big box stores are closing left
and right and standing empty.
• The Hastings area is greatly under-served with no temperature controlled self-storage for its
citizens. Hastings typically has Class B/C storage and has not yet had the opportunity for a nice
Class A site.
• Class A storage is defi ned as a 2000 or newer build in an ideal neighborhood. These can be tem-
perature controlled and are always aesthetically pleasing with attractive landscaping, colored
doors and pleasing lighting.
• Empty retail space and parking lots are an eyesore along this corridor. Adding a Class A self-stor-
age site to this location would have a positive impact on the community and the surrounding
businesses. Local residents and tenants would appreciate eff orts to improve the area while ten-
ants and adjoining businesses would benefi t from additional exposure and customers.
• New retail and offi ce tenants remain scarce and existing mall tenants need all the exposure and
traffi c they can get. As such, cities have become more willing to consider alternatives such as
climate-controlled storage to get vacant land and buildings occupied.
• A typical site of 300 units will bring on average 5-10 cars a day – less than typical traffi c of other
businesses.
• An aesthetically pleasing site would act as a welcome for the “Hastings Corridor” on Red Wing
Blvd. vs. seeing a Burger King and a gas station.
• A self-storage site consumes less water than a small house.
• The self-storage facility would generate additional income for Crossroads Mall and the city/
county tax base.
• A self-storage facility would provide additional security and a sound barrier for homes in the
area.
• The facility would be professionally managed by Easy Storage Management, which has a wealth
of knowledge on the ins and outs of self-storage operations. Easy Storage Management current-
ly manages more than 4,000 active clients in more than 9 countries across the world.
RYMER COMPANIES YOURSTORAGEFACILITY.COM
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STOKO SPEEDLING
HASTINGS, MN