Amendments to the Land Use Bylaw on internal storage units could see more storage facilities being set up in St. Albert.
The bylaw amendments passed first reading on Feb. 6, which has changes to part one, seven and nine of the existing Land Use Bylaw.
Part one of the bylaw changes general terms to create a separate definition for indoor storage facility, part seven defines how parking is to be determined and part nine outlines the expected appearance of the facility.
Mayor Nolan Crouse raised concerns over whether or not the storage units would look like tin boxes on the side of the road. He was soon reassured that the development officer would have control over what the external appearance would be.
He was told that the aim is to provide professional looking facilities, which, in some cases, could potentially be used as office spaces in the future.
Tracy Tsui, planner with Development Services, told Crouse that the exterior finishings would incorporate a “high degree of visual interest” which includes colour change, material change and appealing architectural features.
David Schoor, ISL Engineering and Land Services, stood before councillors on behalf of the potential applicant Landrex Inc., a company interested in developing a U-STORE-IT Canada storage facility within St. Albert’s commercial corridor.
He told councillors that an indoor storage facility is distinct enough to have its own definition within the Land Use Bylaw, along with its own parking requirements.
“At this time its current rate is defined by other land uses that are not similar to it, which is the mini-storage, the warehouse, the outdoor storage and equipment rental,” said Schoor.
Parking was a topic of interest for councillors as they tried to bridge the gap between the applicant’s request of 15 parking stalls in comparison to administration’s proposed for 111 stalls.
Dean Ursulak, vice president of operations for U-STORE-IT Canada, said the parking of the storage facility proposed to be built in Erin Ridge would be a hybrid parking lot and house some of the commercial businesses in the area.
The bottom floor of the facility would also house commercial units.
Ursulak says they’re looking to build a storage facility in Erin Ridge that would be four storeys high with four loading bays.
Coun. Sheena Hughes asked whether all bays in the U-STORE-IT Canada facility in Edmonton have been full in the past, causing a waiting list to enter the facility.
Ursulak responded that while there have been times where the bays have been full, it was manageable and never required a waiting list.
“We pride ourselves on our reputation of being a more premium brand in the industry so as such, we don’t want to have our customers waiting around for an elevator or waiting around for a loading bay,” he said.
Ursulak added that indoor storage facilities aren’t high-use facilities.
Roger Schilf, representative for Hodgson, Schilf and Evans Architects, told council he has completed some preliminary design work on the proposed Erin Ridge facility.
He said the facility is proposing 19 parking stalls for retailers in the area, 17 for the self-storage facility per 600 metres square and one stall designated for three employees for the facility.
In total there could be anywhere between 15 and 120 parking stalls, depending on what the development officer determines to be an appropriate amount.
If the development officer determines that the storage facility could someday be repurposed into an office space, more parking stalls could be required than the applicant had applied for.
In the case of the U-STORE-IT building, Schlif said the design of the building would only support a storage facility and wouldn’t be able to be redeveloped as an office in the future.
“I think a building of 130,000 square feet plus, to be anything else is just not feasible,” he said.
As a result, the company is requesting approval for only 15 stalls.
Chris Fillmore, Fillmore Construction who will be constructing the U-STORE-IT Canada, confirmed with council that the building would not be able to be redesigned to support an office space.
He said the ceilings aren't high enough and building a facility to eventually support an office space would be too costly.
Fillmore added that he had driven to other similar facilities with only 15 stalls and the parking lots are always empty.
“They’re never even half-full because people aren’t interested in parking and lugging a box of stuff through the front door to the elevators and up,” he says.
The bylaw will come back before council on Feb. 21 for second reading.
