Plans for new self-storage facility move forward

Mar. 15—GOSHEN — Plans for the construction of a new self-storage facility just south of the Target store on the city's northwest side moved forward Tuesday during a meeting of the Goshen Plan Commission.

At the meeting, commission members gave the initial green light to a request by HSN LLC and Abonmarche Consultants for a zoning major change and preliminary site plan approval for a property located at the southeast corner of Ferndale Road and Willows Way that will allow for the construction of a new self-storage facility at the site.

According to Rhonda Yoder, planning and zoning administrator for the city, the site, known as The Willow Lakes of Goshen, is part of an overall Willows development that includes a residential area. The overall Willows development began in 1996 and jurisdiction was transferred from Elkhart County to the city of Goshen for the entire area, she explained.

"The current petition seeks approval for an automated self-storage facility with eight buildings," Yoder said of the plan. "There will be no on-site office. The major change is required because self-storage facilities are not a permitted use in the B-4 District. They are permitted in the Commercial B-3 District and in Industrial M-1 and M-2 districts. Approval of the preliminary site plan is requested with the major change."

Yoder noted that the request also includes several developmental components, including calls for the installation of two freestanding signs, a 6-foot fence to be located within the front yard setback along Ferndale Road, and self-storage parking requirements.

"The preliminary site plan shows two freestanding signs, one along Ferndale Road and one on Willows Way near the self-storage entrance," Yoder said. "No details about the two freestanding signs were provided. The B-4 District does permit more than one freestanding sign based on total frontage, but in this case Willows Way is a private drive that doesn't qualify as frontage, so the two freestanding signs need to be approved as part of the major change/site plan."

Yoder noted that the freestanding sign located along Ferndale Road will be required to be non-illuminated — internally and externally — because of the residential land use across the street.

"Staff recommends each freestanding sign be a monument sign, and that each sign not exceed 32 square feet in area and 8 feet in height," Yoder said. "A landscaped area is required around each freestanding sign, 2 square feet in area for each 1 square foot of sign face. A minimum 5-foot setback is required from the leading edge of the sign to the property/right of way line, subject to visibility requirements."

Speaking to the fence request, Yoder noted that fences located within a front yard setback are typically limited to 4 feet in height when located within a business district.

"In this case, a 6-foot chain link fence is proposed approximately 20 feet from the Ferndale Road property line," Yoder said. "Landscaping will be planted along Ferndale Road, between the proposed fence and the west property line, and the fence will not be located in a visibility area.

"There are several constraints to placing the fence at the 50-foot setback line, including a drainage easement and detention basin," she added. "Along Ferndale Road where the fence can be pushed back — where there is no drainage easement or detention basin — it should be placed farther to the east so taller trees can be planted along the existing berm. There are overhead power lines along Ferndale Road at the front property line, so where the fence can be pushed back it should be placed as far east as possible to accommodate taller tree species."

Regarding the self-storage parking requirements, Yoder noted that the city's Zoning Ordinance requirement for mini warehousing is one parking space per two employees. Given that the proposed self-storage facility will not have employees or retail customers, she noted that the Zoning Ordinance parking requirement for mini warehousing should be applied in this particular case.

Rounding out Yoder's analysis were comments regarding landscaping requirements at the site.

"The proposed self-storage site has an existing berm, with overhead power lines along the front property line," Yoder said. "With the overhead power lines, small tree species — up to 20 feet at maturity — are required within 10 lateral feet of the overhead wires, and medium species — up to 40 feet at maturity — within 20 lateral feet of the overhead wires. In areas where the fence can be moved back, large species — over 40 feet at maturity — could be planted."

Yoder noted that the final landscape plan should include alternating deciduous and coniferous trees along Ferndale Road, with mature size based on the distance from the overhead wires.

Additionally, she noted that the preliminary site plan does not require screening along the south property line of the site.

"There is an existing masonry fence along the south property line, and there is natural separation from the residential homes in The Willows because of the large easements associated with the underground gas pipeline to the south, which is greenspace in the R-4 area," she explained.

As proposed, no outside storage will be allowed at the site, and a lighting plan will be required as part of the site plan review in order to minimize impacts on adjacent residential properties.

"The proposed major change and preliminary site plan is consistent with the overall Willow Lakes of Goshen development, as originally established and as amended, and is a low-intensity use that will complement, and not adversely impact, the adjacent residential land uses," Yoder told the commission at the conclusion of her analysis. "Staff recommends the Plan Commission forward a favorable recommendation to the Goshen Common Council."

For her part, Crystal Welsh, a planner with Abonmarche Consultants, noted that she believes the self-storage facility will be a good mix and a good buffer between the more intensive commercial district to the north and the residential users to the west and south of the property.

"This use, as mentioned, is an automated system, so there's no intention for employees to be on site," Welsh said. "That said, the ownership is local, and they have worked with The Willows, not only for legal reasons to have access on Willows Way, but also to work with them through the process. And so they will be available with any concerns by either residents or management at The Willows, they can communicate directly with that, and they can take care of that directly. ... So, they are local ownership, local management, and they intend to keep it up nicely and avoid any concerns that people might have about trash and having an unmanned facility."

COMMUNITY CONCERNS

Prior to Tuesday's vote, several residents of The Willows, a 55+ retirement community located just to the south of the proposed self-storage site, shared a number of questions and concerns related to the project and its potential impact on their community.

Of those who chose to speak, some raised concerns about the possibility of increased traffic near the neighborhood should the self-storage facility be allowed to proceed. Other concerns raised included possible trash and upkeep issues that might result from such a facility; how the facility will be accessed; the possibility for light pollution from the 24-hour facility affecting their residences; concerns about who to contact should issues arise at the unmanned facility; and general concerns about how the facility might affect their property values and the overall look and feel of their neighborhood.

In responding to the raised concerns, Welsh first began with the facility's access, which she said will be exclusively from Willows Way, as there will not be a direct access to the facility off of Ferndale Road.

"The street, it is a private drive," Welsh said of Willows Way. "I believe under the former ownership, the property owners negotiated and received an access easement agreement for access to utilize Willows Way as their ingress/egress area."

Speaking to the traffic concerns, Welsh indicated that on average, storage facilities like the one proposed typically generate relatively low traffic amounts, averaging around 2.5 trips per 1,000 square feet. That's compared to a business park, which is closer to 13 trips per 1,000 square feet, she explained.

"So, this is a relatively low traffic generator," Welsh said. "I do understand if there is existing traffic problems, that is what it is, but this particular use is actually a much lower traffic generator than a retail use would be."

When referencing the lighting concerns, Welsh noted that should the requested self-storage use ultimately be approved by the Goshen City Council, the next step would be to go through a technical review process with city staff during which things like site drainage, lighting, and other technical engineering items would be ironed out.

"In addition to that, there is what's called a photometric plan, and that will be the lights that they choose to use at the facility," Welsh added. "They'll actually run a computer model where it has them placed in the location, and the height, and you even select the light fixture, and then you run this photometric plan, and what it does is it shows where that light is supposed to go. So, the intention of the lights here is to provide safety and security for the facility. They're going to want to focus that down into the facility."

As for concerns about trash and the new facility's potential visual impact, Welsh said the plan includes a berm, fencing and landscaping which should help to insulate the facility from the surrounding residential communities. She also noted that should people ever need to contact the owners of the facility to voice questions or concerns given that the facility will be unmanned, contact numbers should be posted on all of the facility's signage.

"So, we're hoping all of those things work in coordination to kind of create a more attractive space for the folks living adjacent to this area," Welsh said.

In the end, the commission's members agreed, and a motion to forward the request on to the council with a favorable recommendation was approved unanimously.

John Kline can be reached at john.kline@goshennews.com or 574-533-2151, ext. 240315. Follow John on Twitter @jkline_TGN.