Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

for January January 13, 2026. Start things off with our public comment section here. Please come your name, address. Yeah, we have a couple new members here on the commission. If you like to introduce yourself and say hello,

Alicia, our microphone. Thank you,

I'm Dr. Alicia. I work at Southwestern Oregon Community College. I'm the director of for years.

So, my name is Derek Windam. I currently work for the city of North Bend in the public works department. I hope you won't hold that against me. I've been working there for uh 16 years now. And uh before that, worked in state of Washington as a professional land surveyor and so I have experience both on the private side and the public side of land development and I'm hoping to bring some of that experience to bear on this commission and I look forward to serving in this role for the city that I live and play and Everyone else is except 15 minutes late is just on time for like Hi. Is that working? I'm Donna Rayburn. Uh my address is 1185 South First Street in Kous Bay. Um that's my business location. Uh, I live in Kuspay as well, but um, I came here today because I was in the middle of having plans drawn up, obtained a loan, and was planning to do a storage unit on an existing property

that I own, and it got shut down, which was very disappointing. Um, my business is in a commercial industrial zone and really not suited for retail or a wedding venue. [laughter] I mean, there was a lot of ideas thrown out there that just are not appropriate for where we're at. It's industrial. There's roofing and automotive. We're over by the dump. So, I don't feel that a retail space is good. Um, office space is plentiful in Kousbay. So, I just wanted to express my disappointment. I had obtained a loan, got an architect, was going to do a very nice um very nice storage unit, very clean. Um we try to run a very nice roofing business and have our property looking clean and making it part of the community, but this would be a way we could utilize our property and make a living and serve the community. So, I just wanted to express that I I don't feel this is a good choice to shut everybody down. There's a lot of other businesses that have been allowed to come in that don't necessarily serve the community's best interest. And um I I just in my opinion, I'd like to see it changed. I'd like to see my storage units go in. I don't see any harm in it. I don't see any negative side. it currently that piece of land does not bring you guys any money. It's the property taxes is very low because it's bare. So putting a building on it would raise the property taxes would bring more money to the community. So just keep it brief but that's my opinion. Thank you.

Yes.

We were shut down. It was stopped because of the moratorum. So we were in the middle of doing it. We got our loan architect everything and then it just was like stop. So yeah,

the land is existing but the new building we were going to build for the storage units is not existing. No, that's for personal storage. That's That's a full of roofing tarps.

Anything else? So, you proposing just a regular store? Yes, we wanted to do something twotory. Um, very clean and nice, but it would be a basic storage lock. Um, fenced of course and all that. Would the fence be painted black? I mean, it isn't important. I really don't care what color the fence is painted, but Yeah, that wasn't important. Any other questions for Don from the commissioners? Thank Thank you very much. Yeah, thank you for your time speaking.

Any other public comment? Hello, I'm Dwayne Trunk. Um, I'm looking at getting into storage unit facilities. I'm wanting to eventually own about a thousand, say, 10 x 10 units. Um, I'm already challenged doing that in Oregon because of the transfer tax. As my dad passed, I'm already looking at paying a half a million dollars in transfer tax. and even to build a fairly sizable storage unit facility, uh something similar like Mark Colton, um my kids would be looking at $2.8 million in transfer tax and they'd lose half. I know it's 42%, but that they'd lose half of everything else we built after that. So that limits me to what I can build in Oregon, you know, logically anyways. Um and I love Oregon. Um, I get concerned with the industry, um, as far as bringing in big industry that's going to bring in a lot of shipping in and out. I just don't think we appeal to them because of the travel. You know, Home Depot would have been a great example of that. They would have trucked a lot in and maybe some out, but I don't think we're going to see that every day with these businesses. So, are we going to have businesses that bring that kind of money in that our community can absorb and use everything that they have? And um I I don't know, you know, and um we don't really know where the economy is going. I just um from my standpoint, I just I think it'd be wise to move kind of slow on this and just, you know, keep our options open because storage units came scammering in a lot of money. um the unit that I want to build, it'd probably assess I it it would probably sell for $12.5 million. So, it's going

to assess for 10. Uh there's going to be a lot of taxes on that, you know, versus other businesses. And so, and I'd like to have them in Kuzbay, you know. Um the other thing is I just don't know how many more Kuzbay can really handle. I there's no question there is a need for it, but let's just get realistic. How many more can we really build? how much space are we really going to take up before we do meet that need? I don't think we're going to take it all up. So, I think it leaves room for industry as well. So, that's just a thought. I'm kind of new to this topic, so it's my thought. Thanks. Thank you very much.

Good evening. My name is Tom Ross. I'm uh 763 South Broadway. Um I am here today seeking uh your consideration on continuence of the storage uh proposal andor a denial. Um I was here and some of you had seen me here previously. Um I don't um want to take a quick dive into the previous summary and during that meeting we determined that there was inaccuracies in that staff report. We determined that there was numbers that may not have been justified. I want to bring out the uh EOA as part of that. You know, we had discussed during that meeting that there was the EOA was just completed and it was weighted heavily on the port project which in my opinion weighted the numbers that the acreage that's going to be needed to be reserved. Um, you know, we prioritize the types of jobs that would be brought, streetscapes, etc. Let's look at the storage industry as a whole. You know, it's it's it supports and sustains jobs in Kuzbay. Types of people that would use storage in Kuzbay would be traveling nurses for example, Coast Guard. So the purpose of self- storage industry in the Kuzbay area is not necessarily to bring new additional jobs, but to sustain existing jobs or future jobs that are going to come into the area. You know, if we look at this port project going ahead based on the numbers in the EOA, we were in the 9400 people range to complete that project if I remember correctly. Well, with the influx of that amount of people in a

project that is still not solidified, are we really giving a good economic analysis for the city of Kuzbay including that in it? I'm not 100% sure. Now I'm going to move to the current staff report looking at it. You know the proposal is to restrict all additional storage being built. You know in one portion of this report it says there's 13 permitted self- storage facilities currently. Uh the permitted outright is IC. Um and then it it's commercial zoning wants to go with a conditional use permit. Uh my understanding is that commissional use permit will not be for all designations within commercial. It will just be self storage. So it's pretty much singling that out. And that's concerning because it's going to limit property owners from their ability to effectively gain an economic advantage due to restrictions. it may limit their ability to sell that property because of the condition listed with it. I I don't know if that's absolutely a good idea. In another section of this report, it indicates that there's 14 self- storage facilities existing in the city limits. So, we have some data that seems to be not completely thorough. And then we look at exhibit on page four examples of storage facilities in comparable areas. So one of the first ones on there is listing there's an average of seven total facilities to a 10 to 20,000 population range. First example and I stopped at the first example was Primeville. Primeville is an example of

11,000 people and according to the data on the staff report, it says that there are six facilities in Primeville. Well, part of my job with U-Haul company is to know the storage community in all of the coastal areas and I have colleagues in other areas that work in those in that capacity, too. Mr. Ross, we're going to have to keep these comments, you know, to a few minutes here.

Yeah. Okay. And I'm just about wrapped up. We, you know, we don't have a timer running, so I don't know exactly I don't know where exactly we're at. Okay, we're going to just stick with the exhibit of the example of a comparable marketplace. Six was the number listed on the staff report. 21 in 2.8 miles of ground zero of Prineville. So what I'm asking as commissioners that we take a good strong look if I was in your shoes to look at the accuracy of the data. I don't believe enough of a deep enough dive has been taken into the actual storage community here and the needs for the citizens. And I would ask that maybe we would continue this again till we can take a deeper dive into it. Um, I just if I was sitting in each of your shoes, I would be reliant that the data would be 100% accurate before I can make a decision on where to move ahead. And I'm not I don't have confidence in all of the data. Now, you may view it differently and that's fine. Okay? But I would ask that we take a deeper dive and look at it and may possibly continue this for another time. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Yeah, [clears throat] thank you.

My name is Vern Hers. I live at 525 South Marple Street in Goose Bay Empire. I own Empire Mini Storage. Um the foundations of the sudden urgency to stop all mini storage facilities are stated in several points listed in the planning commission report for today's meeting. On page one, the new definition of mini storage is way too broad as established by Tom Ross at the October meeting. It also says expressly prohibits mini storage facilities. uh listing than all of the zones. Nothing about past, present or future. Then it says self-s storage facilities do not provide permanent jobs. Can anyone name anything that provides permanent jobs other than perhaps state or government bureaucracies? The city prioritizes increased assessed values, saying self-s storage facilities are generally prescribed lower assessed values than other commercial development types. They introduced exhibit one listing four mini storage facilities. One wasn't even in the city limits and four multi-use facilities. Using that list, the fortress pays over $33,000 in tax. the fortress facility. The Chandler building pays a little over 19,000 and the Tyogga building pays a little over 18,000. So the argument is not accurate. Page two, there are 13 permitted self- storage facilities. Yet on page four, the report says states uh of the facilities or there's excuse me the report states of 22 facilities on the map 18 are in coup space city limits. Well 13 18 which one

am I supposed to believe. Page four. It is important to note that the city does not plan for the storage space needs of the entire region just those of the city of Cous Bay. Well, what they're doing now by not contacting those of us in the industry to find out what the needs are. No, they don't. It has been established there that there are insufficient storage units available in the city of Kous Bay to serve its citizens needs. The industry was not consulted. The information supplied by the staff is not accurate and this commission depends on it to be accurate to make an informed recommendation. I strongly recommend denying the permanent prohibition of land use act and I strongly recommend a continuence so a work group of interested knowledgeable volunteers can join with those in the city to come up with reasonable alternatives which satisfy both entities concerns and then remove the draconian moratorum. them. The city of Cousay says they want to create new this is the part they this the city council says they want to create new job opportunities here in Kuspay and mini storage is a threat to that. If the city is so interested in the financial growth of Kuspay, why didn't they hire one of the local engineering firms here in Kuspay to draw up the Empire area blueprint rather than sending more than $150,000 to David Evans and Associates in Portland? Any questions?

Okay. Thank you very much. Do we have any other public comments? Okay, hearing none. Uh move on to the next item here. Election of planning commission chair and vice chair. There's no nominees. Does somebody want to?

I think we did this last year. Okay. All right. Well, carry on. Yeah. Uh, yeah. All in favor? Any opposed? All in favor?

Okay, there we go. All right. Another year, same as last year. Okay. Um, moving on now to the continuence of the public hearing to consider type four land use application number 187-25-0000115-PG. Chelsea, do you have anything?

I think you missed Just one moment, please. Okay. Good evening, commissioners. Um, we've already heard some comment, but this is the agenda item for self-s storage unit facility regulations. proposal to amend the text of the development code to change how and where self- storage unit facilities are regulated. Um, some background, back in August of 2025, council did impose a moratorum on the development of new storage unit facilities. Uh they did later in November adopt an economic opportunities analysis that identified a deficit of lands um that was found to comply with uh statutes or EOAs. In October planning commission conducted the initial public hearing on this matter. We did receive public comment. Lots of phone calls in advance in support are neutral to the proposal. At our last public hearing, we had a few in opposition. Today, there are additional uh voices in opposition. We know planning commission was not uh uh in favor of the express prohibition. And

so, planning commission conducted the public hearing. they closed the public hearing, continued deliberations till January this meeting so that they could um be presented with additional avenues by which storage unit facility development could be regulated. So that's what we're here doing tonight. Um just some technical bits. Land use uh proceedings require certain notice. uh one to the department of land conservation and development that was provided. Uh there's lots of public notice that goes out. We at the city posted at city hall on the city website in the city newsletter. Uh this specific case which would um potentially change allowed uses of property. It requires what we call a ballot measure 56 notice. That is a a paper notice with very specific language that is mailed out to all affected owners. That was sent. Um additional notice to outside agencies uh was sent initially and then also to the agencies and the public after our October public hearing identifying that we've continued the hearing to the state. Um also world newspaper uh publication goes out. So, so that is just uh letting you know that all the required public notice has been given. This is the list prior to this date of all the public comment received. And so you can see um leading up to October, there was lots of in support or neutral. At the public hearing, we had two in opposition. After the public hearing, I received more comments kind of neutral to the proposal. Um but then you've had additional comments tonight. So just to recap, which I think's been done, but the proposal initially is to

add a new definition for mini storage to title 17. It's also to expressly prohibit mini storage facilities across all zone districts. Currently um commercial uses, which many storage um could fall under, those are already expressly prohibited in our lowdensity residential and watershed zone districts. So that's why those aren't included in the initial proposal. Um, as you're aware, the initial proposal effectively prohibits new mini storage facilities citywide. And the criteria for this is in your October 14th staff report. So this is a map of existing facilities. Uh, there's some terminology being thrown around. We do currently have 13 permitted facilities. We have 14 identified based on best available data. Um there are additional units within uh proximity to Kuzbay that were shown just reflective of the kind of density that is in the city versus out in the county. So, you can't really see it on the screen, but what what this map just shows is that the units that we've identified, they are primarily in our commercial zone districts. We have some in Empire, uh some along Ocean Boulevard, some in kind of South K, uh Englewood and East Side. So alternative pathways there were a couple of um couple presented. You could restrict self- storage unit facilities to the industrial commercial zone district. Um I mean you could pick any zone district with some substantiating findings, but the IC zone district is

really currently planned for that type of use. You could prohibit the use in our Empire area blueprint and Front Street blueprint planning areas. Commissioners talked about, you know, maybe reserving those areas because of the extent of work that's gone into revitalizing them. You could require a conditional use permit in the commercial zone district. Currently, a conditional use permit is required in the mixeduse commercial zone district, but not in the commercial zone district. So, um, doing that is one way you could help kind of regulate the types of storage unit or the impacts of storage units in the commercial zone district. A conditional use permit would be what we call a type two or type three land use review depending on the project scale. And so, anything up to 20,000 square feet would be a type two that would be done in-house by staff with public comment. um opportunities. And then a type three would be anything larger than 20,000 square feet and those would come before planning commission. You could set a cap on the number of self- storage unit facilities permitted in city limits. So there are 14. I'm counting 14 because we have one that was in the pre-application conference stage that I wouldn't discount because they'd already started the process officially with us and um have since then applied for their application. So they're kind of in mix. So that's why I'm counting a total of 14. If you were going to set a cap, I wouldn't set it any lower than that. Um based on best available data uh permitted units the average benchmark for populations 10 to 20k is 4 to 7. Certainly there are communities with more um could establish a buffer from one self-

storage unit facility to another. What buffers do is aim to protect adjacent lands by reducing a visual noise and or traffic impacts. uh 300 to 500 feet is a reasonable distance more or less may be desirable. So those are a few of the other ways that um this type of development could be regulated. And so in conclusion, planning commission needs to make a recommendation to the city council. You could certainly recommend a denial of the application with uh identified supportive findings. You could approve it as is. You could approve it subject to conditions, changes, recommended um changes. And in the event of an approval, they would then enact an ordinance. And so we're not going to go over all the details we went over in October because we had that public hearing, we had that staff report. Um but this would be the opportunity now for planning commission to deliberate uh and decide what what direction you want to go. You know, I just have trouble understanding

I guess I don't know why this particular little segment of our commercial buildings requires such concern over impact. You know, it's not like it's making a lot of noise or evidence are drunk all the time or anything like that. I don't get it why it's such a such a become such a pariah in our community to have, you know, 14 or 15 or 25 of them. I mean, what you know, it's they're taking up space. Well, so do all these too many real estate officers in town. Sue me and they're taking up space. So, I guess I'm I'm just having trouble understanding the on that kind of that same vein there. I think what what I have an issue with is if we have people in town wanting to invest in the town here, but we're going to set aside this land for maybe future potential people coming in, you know, outside industry coming in here. That doesn't make any sense to me if we have people that own their land and want to do something with it. you know, we should be supportive of that, encouraging that, not pulling it out for some potential boom down the road. I mean, presumably we're not tearing down orphanages to, you know, I guess, you know, I'm just not sure how the council came up with this in the first place to have this be a big deal. I mean, I I have trouble understanding why the lady comes up talks about the roofing company and they've got extra they can put an improvement on that for people to put their stuff that obviously

probably don't need but still and uh and I guess I'm having trouble understanding the the benefit of the moratorum to tell her it's kind of seems like a solution in search of a problem here really I mean I mean are are there other kinds of businesses that we too many of that we would like to live. You know, I mean, we went through this with the the marijuana a few years ago and and you know, I think we kind of determined with those, well, let's just kind of let them figure it out.

Turns out we, you know, we don't seem to have terrible issue with that. I guess I Well, anyway, I ran out of it because we need to get through this stuff, but it just I just something to sing about it gets all this attention. One would wonder what it is about it that is getting too low [clears throat] and all that sort of market. Somebody wants to put Lowe's there or whatever. Yeah. In the meantime, why not put it on

anyway understanding had a discussion about uh restricting the units to from the waterfront district and also empire which I'm totally Okay. We've got to I see approved self storage perfect zoning for the Rayburn site and lots of others. I don't agree with a conditional use permit in the commercial zone. Allow it outright. This cap on self storage units, forget it. Distance requirements, forget it. Let the market decide the references on the exhibit. One with regard to the storage facilities and the the taxes and the comparisons with the multi-use facilities between the Coney station, the Chandler, Cafe 101, and

They're terrible comparisons, especially the eight ninestory building and a sixstory apartment structure. If you take those two out, the comparisons of of the the taxes are comparable to what the storage facilities are doing regardless. They're very viable. There's demand in the in the community for it from multiple parties here tonight. I can attest that throughout the county occupancy is 95% plus. So I'm totally opposed to C and D on page five. disagree with the conditional use permit just allow it outright in IC and commercial enough said I would like to just add one thing and maybe maybe I'm don't know the full story but um if they are structures that are built I think that's very important um there's very large in that are just conx boxes. They rain inside. They ruin people's stuff. Um, that's a real cheap fix for storage. I don't think it's something I want to see in space. But if it's well built, well

maintained unit, I can see nothing wrong with that.

Well, don't they have to go through the same building codes and things that other buildings go through? can't just set up a row of tents and put your stuff in you know I mean but one thing is that I think that kind of sort of missed here is that as we have concerns with housing we know it's a shortage of housing and we know that there price property price of houses is very very high I mean you know compared to what old guys remember. Uh, but you know, if you if you live in a little apartment and you inherit grandma's piano and something else, where are you going to put it? I mean, it it almost ties together with, you know, smaller low-inccome housing. Uh, I mean, I realize from the TV shows a lot of that junk people put in there is kind of worthless and you know, that's still valuable to them. And uh, you know, being in the land of the free, I mean, it's not like that where we can only have the $1 for Christmas. I mean, we want to have a couple. And anyway, I I just those are the kinds of thinking that I think I'm not sure that's been addressed or thought of or considered in this in the wisdom of the council to to start this this issue.

I'd like to uh Jim, you're absolutely right. The building code does not allow you to put up some tents and call it a mini storage facility.

So, you were asking about Jim, you were asking about uh what's what's the prerogative with this moratorium. I was kind of through this resolution 25-29 where we're putting this moratorum the council's putting a moratorum on building any new mini storage facilities and so I was kind of reading down through here and it said item two continued land use patterns would be inconsistent with economic development and corridor activation objectives and then I go down to item six certain project approvals may appear economic growth and corridor plans I go to item six again avoiding longterm corridor degradation. So I think what they're looking at is Ocean Boulevard, Newark and Empire Boulevard. That corridor is kind of the front door to to Kuz Bay in a way. And that's the corridor that the folks are going from off Highway 101 to the state parks. And I think that that we want to kind of roll out the red carpet as far as maybe the buildings and the use along that corridor is kind of what I'm interpreting from this moratorum. And so I was looking at exhibit two in the staff report which I had a question on that's showing a mini storage facility that just west of the bay northbound waterboard office. I'm trying to figure out what that is. That would be like alder acres. I don't think there's actually Well, if I go to figure two of the staff report, it doesn't show that there's a storage facility there. So,

I don't think the trailer papers is has some outdoor storage with covered, but not self storage for people that live there. It's Yeah. Okay. Correct.

So, I'm looking at this this map, exhibit two, and I'm thinking about the the characteristics of the corridor. Okay. And when I talk about the corridor, I'm talking about Ocean Boulevard, New Market Empire Boulevard. Uh there's, you know, when you're going past Walmart, there's 16,000 trips a day. A AAT going past Walmart. Then there's 8,000 at the other end of the South Empire Boulevard full of treatment plan or two. So there's a lot of traffic that we know that that's the main street of town basically and and so I think the council is thinking about the highest and best use along this front facing corridor. And when I'm thinking about the highest and best use I'm thinking about businesses that roll out the welcome map, you know, with restaurants and retail with business hours and signage. Come on in. see what we have as opposed to maybe a warehouse or a mini storage facility, which we certainly have a need for that use, but maybe not on the corridor. And when I go by one of these mini storage facilities, I'm I see a sign that says property under 24-hour video surveillance. And there's no windows, there's high fences, there's But that's all to enhance the security so that I would choose that mini storage facility to go because I have good security there. But it's not like a welcome map like you would get with other businesses. And I'm thinking that we maybe would have a higher and best use on that corridor. uh the city and ODOT what in 2016 we spent what $4 million on improvement of South Empire Boulevard from Pton to Newark and uh that's not including the 1.25 million

that the Cay Northbound water board spent on improving the water main line in that area and so there's a lot been a lot of investment and I think there's a lot of expectation about this corridor and So that brings me down to one of the questions was what what definition should be used for mini storage and me of course I would think there's already a definition in the Oregon structural specialty code and that definition is real property designed and used for the purpose of renting or leasing individual storage spaces to customers for the purpose of storing and removing personal property on a selfervice basis. would offer up that definition. And then I was really keying in on what you were saying, Mr. at the last meeting on this topic about the IC and I see the IC as an appropriate location for future development of any storage because the IC zones are kind of off the corridor in a way. Maybe I would add like an asteric except all parcels within 200 ft of US 101 asident for those primary locations. Also, I was looking at on top of that, I was looking at the vacant lots available. So, I was looking at the vacant parcel map that's online and we probably need to update that a little bit because it wasn't showing mot.

Just a comment with regard to 101, the land prices along that strip are the highest that we have along along the coast. The last place a self storage project is going to go is on one of those $25 a square foot sites. Not going to happen. Right on.

Yeah. Not going to happen. Will not happen. You You all can. They They paid 850 9 bucks a foot. It's closed, but it's it's over on a piece of property that had a lot of issues with it, but to limit it to to to the IC zone, great spot for it, but the market's going to determine what's appropriate on those sites. Not not it's not going to be self storage. example I see that site that was Gussy's familiar site to me years pretty much flat out I don't know anybody looking at that which is seem to be an obvious sign if you're going to have some attractive tourist friendly and it's been sitting there for quite a while. It's trying to run things and I mean I I know that you can't just judge the future by the past but well I just offer that sort of another of how things have kind of developed. There's some reasons it seems like sort of reasons why some places just don't seem to have trending to development and others seem to be more likely generally

watch probably I'm just looking at the the amount of existing mini storage facilities on that corridor from uh what is it from the Monarch to Empire mini storage. I mean that's what six half a dozen facilities in a mile. And I think the council is probably concerned about that continuing that kind of development continuing in that area where they're trying to change instead of a warehouse district. They're probably expecting more of a welcome. So that those particular areas we specifically said were off limits to self storage going forward as well as the waterfront district that was discussed. Correct.

You mean the [clears throat] Empire? Yes, excuse me. That was that was the discussion

and the water effort trying to make you know certainly there is much much different than it was 40 years ago and hopefully that will continue progress. Do you think if we were to limit it to the zone that so the commercial zone there's commercial zones of major arterials or self storage might be perfect. So just I I just come back to the market should determine that personal opinion. Yeah, I agree with you there. I think, you know, I think a good well-run well-maintained storage facility is much much better than a lighted lot. I mean, look at that right there on the bay there at the I mean U-Haul facility. I mean, that's a nice looking building. They really gave that whole town a little bit of a lift there, you know? I mean, I fixed the street.

Yeah. I mean, so I mean, I just I have a hard time really limiting folks in town that that do want to do something and and have an idea. I think we should be as supportive of that as we can be. And you know, we're already kind of protecting the entire district through those plans. I just have a quick review again. It strikes me that was the preserve that opportunity. So it would help me So, so it's I'm just one voice here. The rest of the commission wants use in that zone. Fine. I don't believe it's necessary to do that. I think if they make an application it meets all the codes with regard to security with regard to fencing done correctly. What's the problem? So specifically mentioned in this report

was the conditional use process is a problem. for some developers specifically mentioning it draws out the process. There's uncertainty in it. So it's probably a four or five months additional process through the through the city sometimes having come to the planning commission most of the time through the step. So that's my issue with conditional use in the commercial zone. I guess you know it's almost like if you're going to have conditional use for this, why not have a conditional use for everything? I mean, really slow this thing up and you know, but I mean because there certainly are other businesses that are unattractive, you know, for for a lot of reasons that you wouldn't want there and U you know I I think that it's when we start trying to judge what is well what is good and what is bad for you know that's what the position ask us to do here make a judgment as to whether this story lock facility is appropriate here or is it is it is Is it car place there? You know, is it what what is, you know, is it a retail store that we want? Is that the desired thing? I mean, you know, it's like there's a

particularly pretty or anything to drive by, but on the other hand, it's not offensive. you know, to drive by the porkers out there on Well, I I don't I don't think that anyone's going to come to town and and drive through and visit and spend some money here and go out to the beach and go to the restaurants and stuff and then on the way home go, you know, that was a nice place, but they had 19 storage facilities when they really per capita should have had 14. You know, if someone's that if we get to the point where that's how being judged. I welcome that. Or if they didn't have any, I moved there. Yeah.

I'm sorry.

So, planning commission, can I just um intervene? What I am hearing is that planning commission really doesn't want to see any changes to the existing code other than perhaps to restrict development of storage units within the Empire area in the Waterfront Heritage District which I don't have a pointer but up on this map the Empire uh study area that's this kind of new Mark Empire corridor would cover that and then the waterfront heritage heritage district is over here in this highlighted kind of aqua marine color. Covers part of 101. So that's what you would be restricting where you would be restricting units. It does cover some of the corridors, not in the entirety, but that's what that would do. Um, and then potentially consider a new definition that would be in line with Oregon uh structural specialty codes, which is what we, you know, do base our building permits on. That's what I'm hearing. so far that maybe we have consensus around. So I wonder if we can

correct.

Well, I think that's correct. The only thing that I would have to add to that is the storage units that that we currently have with the exception maybe of U-Haul are really light on the landscape. That's uh I mean you look at the fortress would have been no big deal to to put a few trees and some shrubs in the front of that so it has it so it it doesn't look like storage unit. What happens inside doesn't really matter, but um they they just typically uh look like they're really like the the landscape that was supposed to go in. They should have went in there. I don't care where we're at 5% or 7%. They should have done something a couple of trees, some shrubbery, something to make it look more presentable and not just a asphalt with boxes on it. So that that's part of the development [clears throat] ordinances,

correct? Current code would say that all new development uh non-residential would require minimum of 15% landscaping and the the required landscaping needs to be on the perimeter. So in theory, your development should get that perimeter landscaping along the street frontages. That was in place though when the fortress is built and it did not happen. So I guess my point is um Let's Let's make sure that they're attractive. A little landscaping goes a long ways. Agreed. Chelsea, I have question.

What's that? My understanding, I could be incorrect, but I think that is a an inprocess being developed storage unit around South Second Street. Um, proposing some storage. I could be wrong

behind is kind of behind Wendy's. There's a storage facility. The occur with this building there. Okay, that could be what this is. Okay, apologies for not knowing exactly. Yeah, that's that's cool, but I mean that's that's a nice little building and a lot of work to it. I thought I didn't know that was going to be a storage unit. I thought it was going to be kind of more like the place next to the coach house there.

I I mean I I really see no problem with the way things currently are and I agree with what's been said here especially with M there and have an idea where her property is. I mean that's perfect place for a storage unit but I also I mean I think what Mr. Windham has proposed about maybe something off the corridor but at the same time I guess I don't I just don't think there's a problem at this point to to have this kind of a moratorum which is pretty and I mean it's not like there's business saying my god I can't find any space because of all these storage units and I mean honestly that building kind of where there's nothing in it now devil's barrel whatever I mean it's a great place for homeless people to sleep but you know put some kind of storage a lot nicer what it currently is.

I think it's we first started coming in the corner just like this effect. I mean that's the other thing too. I mean some of those places in the downtown area you're not storage. No,

I mean I did business in a building there was tight t was high tide you know my basement had water in this so waiters to go make sure the work yeah I just don't see where this is really a problem at this point in time to restrict people um I just think there's a lot of need for the storage units. I mean, people split up, get divorced, mom died, you live in a manufactur home, you don't have space to store all your stuff because those, you know, we get these other houses over there, what's it called? Timber

timber code.

Timber, you know, there's people there. There's not a ton of space from what I understand lots. So, Yeah, just a lot of a lot of people, a lot of stuff and and I mentioned this before, you know, part of a business that owns storage units and just knowing how they're used. You know, a lot of people get those, they keep on paying them, they don't look at what's in there, and stuff's got to go somewhere. And people have a lot of stuff, more stuff. So, Can can I ask again aside from the moratorum just looking at the current code can I build a mini storage facility in the commercial zone

right now there's no conditional use or anything in the commercial zone it's permitted in the mixed use commercial zone it is a conditional use a conditional use so a conditional use means that it's going to for us. No, no, it's dependent on project scale. 20,000 square feet or more would come to planning commission. But Mr. Marino, you're saying that just the market alone is going to restrict that kind of development in the commercial zone.

I I would say certain areas of the commercial zone. I'm not saying it in all areas, but as as you get closer to your important arterials, prices of the real estate goes up and people are sensitive to that, including self storage, right? So, I mean, to have the appropriate number of units to even make any money, yeah, you're not going to put it on a smaller lot. That just doesn't work. probably.

So, Chelsea, what is it that we're doing here this evening? Is this a recommendation? Correct. Planning commission would make a recommendation to the city council. And so it could could be as you've been discussing that rather than to have a moratorum your your recommendation would be to protect the Empire District, the Waterfront Heritage District, to consider a definition in line with Oregon structural specialty code. Make no other changes. So it was medical park included in that.

Medical park is currently a little iffy. commercial uses are allowed. Storage unit could be considered a commercial use. It's so you could consider the medical park district as well.

What uh where where did we pull our definition of storage? Um I'm sorry. I don't I can't remember exactly. I'm I for a staff perspective, sorry, Commissioner Marino, aligning with the building code is not a bad idea because it keeps us on the planning and building on the same page. Okay. Um, sounds like we have the kind of the basic structure of a motion here if somebody wants to to assemble that. Which were which were the zones

the the empire and the waterfront heritage exclude exclude yeah exclude from further from those zones so basically continue on those and then adopt the language So maybe Chelsea, could you repeat Yeah. your your comments?

Certainly. Yes. With regard to

Yeah. So, planning commission could motion they recommend city council approve the land use application subject to the following changes. keep the current uh title 17 zoning regulations as is except to prohibit new development of storage unit facilities in the Empire Area District with and except within the Waterfront Heritage District and adopt a new definition for self- storage unit facilities in line with the Oregon structural specialty code.

That's my motion. Perfect. Good. Do do we have a second on Jeff so eloquently put motion? I will second that. So we we have a motion and a second. All in favor?

Any other discussion? Just one second before we do vote. I do need to mention I did have some contact with somebody in the audience tonight called my office and discuss this a little bit. Mr. didn't really change my opinion on anything but just express All in favor?

I I hear none. Motion carries. Okay. Can I just get a hand a show of hands for who was in favor? Okay. All right. Thank you. Okay. Planning Commission comments.

Welcome. Yeah. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. There we go.

One comment. Okay. I was waiting for you. the intersection of LROD and 10 that three-way intersection where there's two stop signs and not one on the other side. It would be nice if there is some kind of traffic device and let people know that traffic coming south east on it's it's people mess that up all the time. I there's always broken glass there. my kid got hit by somebody uninsured driver. Um,

and anyway, I just throw that out there to the public works department that type of stuff. That's my only Thank you. Oh, and if somebody can go up to the waterboard property, you know, property at the end of Melrod there, there's a new big pile of trash that's getting bigger and bigger. Since I drive by it every day, I notic that suggested we can bring trash. depends on what it is. I made a haul there the other day. I came out of there with the tractor coming off the pipeline and I hold nine shopping carts. That's as many as I could get in my tractor. Nine shopping carts out of that area.

Okay. Any other comments? Thank you everyone for coming here this evening. will join January 13th meeting.