Again, rules mean little in Jax as self storage request moves forward

[jaxlongtimer]

As I have pointed out many times here, Jax adopts land use rules and restrictions and then consistently waives or ignores them resulting in little to no real standards for development.

The City Council's LUZ committee approval by a 6 to 1 vote to approve a request allowing self storage buildings in the core of Downtown over opposition by an unusual combination of bedfellows is just another example of the lack of backbone resulting in scattershot development that ends up collapsing upon itself with the lack of compatible structures, uses and architecture thrown together in some random way.

Add this to diluting architectural standards, the twisted interpretation of height restrictions in San Marco, allowing exceptions to the setback heights along the riverfront, selling off chunks of park lands and timidly protecting historic buildings from demolitions.  Death by a thousand knife cuts.

Company that builds self-storage units wants Jacksonville to lift ban in much of downtown

After shutting the door on new self-storage buildings in most of downtown three years ago, the city of Jacksonville is on the verge of unlocking that ban at the behest of a company that wants to construct a storage building on the downtown Southbank a few blocks from San Marco.

The proposed change in the document known as the downtown overlay has drawn opposition from City Council member LeAnna Cumber along with nearby residents and business owners.

"My constituents don't want it," Cumber said. "The businesses don't want it and if we really want to grow downtown, putting storage units throughout downtown is insane. There is zero cities in this country that has grown by putting storage units throughout downtown."

Despite opposition by Cumber, who represents the Southbank, the legislation (2021-821) has momentum for passage as it heads to a vote by the full City Council on Tuesday. The Land Use and Zoning Committee voted 6-1 last week in favor of the change....

....The proposed change to the overlay won backing of the Land Use and Zoning Committee even though the Downtown Investment Authority and the Downtown Development Review Board say the overlay should remain as it is.

The committee also heard public comments in opposition from a resident of the  Peninsula residential tower, the owner of bb's restaurant and bar and the San Marco Preservation Society.

Opponents said other property just a few minutes outside downtown is already zoned to allow construction of self-storage units that can serve residential growth.

The DIA board told City Council that if council does decide to expand the portions of downtown where self-storage buildings can go, it should limit those to within a 500-foot strip in an outer ring of the overlay's boundaries.

Much of the discussion at last week's Land Use Committee meeting revolved around how to measure the restriction.

Boyer said the DIA's position is that the 500-foot strip would be a "permissive zone" and a new storage building would have to be entirely within the zone

Steve Diebenow, an attorney representing the Simpson Group, which has self-storage facilities across the Southeast, said the 500-foot distance should be from the outer boundary of downtown to the portion of a storage building closest to the downtown border....

.... The upshot of measuring in that manner is a new self-storage building would be allowed even if the building is not entirely within the zone. Instead, the building could be built so long as a portion of it is inside the zone.

Cumber said Diebenow doesn't want to use the DIA's interpretation of the 500-foot zone because his client's property is located on a lot that's too far away for a building to go entirely inside the zone.....

..... Scenic Jacksonville added its voice to the opposition Monday when it emailed council members urging them to reject the legislation, saying a change in the overlay would hurt the "positive momentum of our downtown revitalization."

Scenic Jacksonville Executive Director Nancy Powell said storage buildings take up space that more vibrant, people-oriented uses would otherwise add to downtown.

"The edges of downtown in some cities become some of the most innovative, interesting and affordable places to live and play, so allowing self-storage facilities in the perimeter does not support revitalization or affordability," she wrote.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2022/06/13/jacksonville-could-lift-ban-new-self-storage-buildings-downtown/7605106001/

[fsu813]

The LUZ vote was 6-1 but is still very much a split issue at the time, and public input will matter. A group I'm associated with has been in contact with Cumber and Council urging support for DIA's position and adherence to their recently adopted overlay.

[thelakelander]

Are they willing to ensure that self storage buildings in downtown are designed to be mixed-use (i.e. actual retail at street level)? Or are we only looking at the issue of allowing big windowless boxes that create dead space at ground level?

[vicupstate]

I have said since about 2005 that the problem with Jacksonville is the LEADESHIP, or more exact, the LACK of LEADERSHIP that is here. This is certainly an example of that. But by all means keep using the thoroughly illogical crutch of 'consolidation' to explain it.       

[acme54321]

Are they willing to ensure that self storage buildings in downtown are designed to be mixed-use (i.e. actual retail at street level)? Or are we only looking at the issue of allowing big windowless boxes that create dead space at ground level?

LOL.  C'mon man, you know the answer to this already.

[heights unknown]

IMO, keep self storage companies OUT of the Urban Core, Downtown Jacksonville, etc. Put them on the outskirts and/or surrounding neighborhoods to downtown (Riverside, Springfield, etc.). There are many people moving to downtown; so, we can deduce that these type businesses will in fact be needed, and will be needed close by not too far from the urban core/downtown. We've got vacant lots still that need to be "infilled" with businesses, offices, residences, etc. downtown; so keep self storage businesses close by the urban core/downtown but not in it.

[fsu813]

After a lengthy discussion, it was referred back to LUZ to reexamine.

Favorite line was by Al Ferraro, when discussing zoning overlays, something to the affect of: "Different communities want different things. In Springfield they like craft beer, that wouldn't work in my community"

He remembers!
https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/09/21/planned-springfield-brewery-met-with-public.html

[jcjohnpaint]

And San Marco residents like to put things in boxes when they drink their craft beer. 
Usually don't agree with Cumber, but she is on point!

[acme54321]

The more people that write to the council on issues like this the better. 

[thelakelander]

If this is the type of mixed-use self storage development being discussed, then I do believe there are some spots within the downtown area where such a use would be appropriate. These types of self storage mixed-use projects are present in urban core areas like Downtown Miami and Orlando. They aren't in the heart of those CBDs but they are in fringe areas. However, we need to get way more specific, in terms of location, than randomly drawing a 500' radius around edge of downtown's borders. Corridors like State and Union, property fronting I-95 and various parcels within the Sports and Entertainment District in the vicinity of Talleyrand Avenue could make sense. Then again, these projects are also suitable for various older industrial districts just outside of downtown like the Rail Yard District and Jessie Street, between MLK Parkway and Talleyrand.

Also, what is the specific site in the Southbank/San Marco, that led to this entire issue bubbling up?

[Captain Zissou]

Also, what is the specific site in the Southbank/San Marco, that led to this entire issue bubbling up?

It's the current Basil Thai restaurant parcel at Hendricks and Prudential.  One of the most prominent pieces of property in that area and across the street from a vibrant restaurant.  The Industry West and Reddi Arts renovations will also bring more life to that area.  This is not the place for self storage.

[Steve]

Also, what is the specific site in the Southbank/San Marco, that led to this entire issue bubbling up?

It's the current Basil Thai restaurant parcel at Hendricks and Prudential.  One of the most prominent pieces of property in that area and across the street from a vibrant restaurant.  The Industry West and Reddi Arts renovations will also bring more life to that area.  This is not the place for self-storage.

Agreed - that would be an awful location.

If this is the type of mixed-use self storage development being discussed, then I do believe there are some spots within the downtown area where such a use would be appropriate. These types of self storage mixed-use projects are present in urban core areas like Downtown Miami and Orlando. They aren't in the heart of those CBDs but they are in fringe areas. However, we need to get way more specific, in terms of location, than randomly drawing a 500' radius around edge of downtown's borders. Corridors like State and Union, property fronting I-95 and various parcels within the Sports and Entertainment District in the vicinity of Talleyrand Avenue could make sense. Then again, these projects are also suitable for various older industrial districts just outside of downtown like the Rail Yard District and Jessie Street, between MLK Parkway and Talleyrand.

THIS. I can think of a number of locations that I'd be okay with 5 floors of Self-Storage over Ground Floor Retail covering 75% of the site. Now, something like Main and Adams isn't one of them (total example, first surface parking lot in the core I thought of).

This goes back to the hotel at Park and Rosselle about to break ground. The flaw in the zoning overlay for that project was that Park, Roselle, and Chelsea Streets were all treated the same when - to the developer's credit - the Park and Rosselle frontages were fine (especially for that location). This is similar. We need to designate our streets by their use. Things like parking garage accesses, loading docks, etc. do have to go somewhere, and we need to designate streets where we can relax the ideals for practicality. Streets like Chelsea, Oak, even Church may fit that bill. Streets like Park, Adams, Laura, etc. would NOT.

[thelakelander]

Agree on all accounts. It's a bad use for Basil Thai parcel. It's also very similar outcome to a planning problem that presented itself with the Park Street hotel project. We really do need to designate various streets and corridors for certain types of uses and environments to cohesively development over time. If not, we're going to spend billions and end up with a hodge podge of things that don't go together. 20 years from now, we'll still be talking about the need to revitalize DT.

[MusicMan]

I guess the Store Space Self Storage at 1820 Kings Ave must have filled up really fast.  Agree this is a poor location for that use, and a terrible idea to amend the entire overlay for one specific company. 

Why not use part of the enormous surface lot at the (huge development) corner of Philips and Emerson.  There's acres of pavement there that does not get too much use.  Build it there.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/public-outcry-against-storage-units-in-downtown-jacksonville-forces-delay-in-vote/ar-AAYvDxL?li=BBnbfcL

[CityLife]

If this is the type of mixed-use self storage development being discussed, then I do believe there are some spots within the downtown area where such a use would be appropriate. These types of self storage mixed-use projects are present in urban core areas like Downtown Miami and Orlando. They aren't in the heart of those CBDs but they are in fringe areas. However, we need to get way more specific, in terms of location, than randomly drawing a 500' radius around edge of downtown's borders. Corridors like State and Union, property fronting I-95 and various parcels within the Sports and Entertainment District in the vicinity of Talleyrand Avenue could make sense. Then again, these projects are also suitable for various older industrial districts just outside of downtown like the Rail Yard District and Jessie Street, between MLK Parkway and Talleyrand.

Also, what is the specific site in the Southbank/San Marco, that led to this entire issue bubbling up?

Agreed that there are some spots where requiring ground floor commercial would be appropriate downtown. Architects can also design them so that the ground floor ceiling heights and orientation allows them to be converted to commercial space in the future (if/when the market warrants). I had to do that once on a self-storage that was adjacent to a potential future transit station. The market wasn't there for the commercial space at the time of construction, but the municipality and developer wanted to have the potential to convert it to commercial in the future IF a transit stop was ever built. We even parked it at the commercial rate, just to keep that door open.