Village Denies Special Use Permit for Self-Storage Facility at Lewis and Orchard

A special use permit for a self-storage facility at the southwest corner of Lewis Drive and Orchard Road was denied on Tuesday night. (photo credit / Phil McAlister)

The Village of Oswego denied an ordinance asking for a special use permit for a self-storage facility at the southwest corner of Lewis Drive and Orchard Road.

The need for the special use permit stemmed from the petitioner’s request for the facility to be in a general manufacturing and regional business district. However, the Orchard Way planned unit development (PUD) is intended for commercial retail and service uses throughout the development.

Currently, the Orchard Way development includes businesses like Jewel, Walgreens, and the Whitetail Golf Dome.

A memo included in the agenda stated that Village staff believed the “proposed use does not meet the intent of the Orchard Way commercial development or other retail corridors within the Village.”

However, the Planning and Zoning Commission on April 9 approved a motion to approve the special use permit by a 6-2 vote.

“I don’t love it because I do want to see retail space there,” said Village President Ryan Kauffman. “I just think that this is a prime, prime location right on Orchard, and we know that Orchard is a fast growing corridor.”

“I agree with you that the Village needs self-storage, so that I 100% agree, and I think that this product would be great in the Village. I have a problem with the location,” said Village Trustee Rachelle Koenig.

“I think Orchard Road is going to be going through a lot of dynamic changes over the next five to ten years,” said Village Trustee Karen Novy, “and I hate to limit ourselves and go against what our design says where we should be putting things.”

The petitioner for the permit, Phil McAlister, said, “the way the site is laid out…the likelihood that a retailer is going to go in there is extremely, extremely low.” “It would be my opinion that this would be vacant for another 20 years before anybody might even consider it.”

After discussion, the Board denied the ordinance by a unanimous vote.