Why Naperville still opposes self-storage center
Naperville officials remain opposed to a plan to build a self-storage facility on 75th Street west of Wehrli Road, saying a semi-industrial use isn't right for the site.
Plans for an Extra Space self-storage facility could move forward through DuPage County because the land is unincorporated. But after the city chose not to rescind a resolution of objection it filed last month, the project would need a supermajority of county board members to gain approval.
Developer WM Ventures sought the city council's guidance on whether design changes could lead members to take back their opposition to the two-story, 730-unit storage facility proposed for the 3.5-acre site.
Tracy Kasson, an attorney representing the project, said the facility would look like an office but wouldn't require as much parking or create as much traffic. He said the storage center would be a good replacement for the two houses on the site now.
"This area is changing," Kasson said. "It won't be residential. And we think this is a perfect transition from the Walgreens to whatever will be later on."
Council members rejected that idea, citing a 2008 land-use study that recommended one-story offices or businesses such as "small-scale neighborhood convenience retail and service uses." Council members referred to the study as they said the land north of Meadow Glens park and school is not good for a building full of storage lockers.
"It's not at all a bad building. Just not here," council member Paul Hinterlong said. "I hope you find a better spot for it."
After the council filed its opposition, developers scaled back the design from a three-story, 36-foot-tall building to the two-story version by adding a basement.
"I think that lowering of the story wasn't a minor change; that was a significant improvement in my view," Mayor Steve Chirico said. "But that being said, I still don't think it's a great fit."
The change wasn't enough to satisfy neighbors.
"The building remains intensely industrial, large and out of character with the area," neighbor Tim Donnell said.
Because of the land-use study, which neighbor Gary Leavenworth worked on as a former member of the planning and zoning commission, residents long have thought the site would not turn to a commercial use.
"Maybe we should be asking ourselves, 'Does it fit what the residents around it were promised?" Leavenworth said.
It doesn't fit in council member Kevin Gallaher's eyes.
"There's only so many ways you can dress up a storage facility - it's nobody's fault," Gallaher said. "I understand the need for them. I just don't understand the need for it here."
The council took no formal action on the plans during a meeting Tuesday because the developer did not petition for annexation.
If an annexation proposal came forward, Allison Laff, deputy director of transportation, engineering and development, said the city would require changes to site plans, including more brick, stone and natural building materials instead of gray masonry, more evergreen landscaping to screen the building from sight year-round and more screening along the rear of the property facing the park.
If developers choose to keep the property unincorporated, the project's next step would be to receive a decision from the DuPage County zoning board of appeals during a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in room 3500B of the county administration building at 421 N. County Farm Road.