CHINA GROVE — The China Grove Town Council paved the way for construction of an unmanned storage facility during its meeting on Tuesday.

StorSafe, a private self-storage investment firm, officially requested a special-use permit for the 2.69-acre property located at 1530 Hope Lane, just off of Hwy. 152. The property currently features five existing structures, totaling around 12,155 square feet, which were reportedly built in 1996. 

The proposed one-story construction would see an additional 14,750-square-foot mini storage building, would be entirely indoor and compatible with the existing structure. The AC units will be indoors. 

The plans provide space for parking in the front between the existing structure and the new structure and some loading areas that will surround the building. 

Due to the nature of the major site plan review, the town council entered into a quasi-judicial hearing, confirming no personal ties to the proposal, before receiving reports from town staff regarding the property. 

“A special use permit is required by the UDO (Unified Development Ordinance) for this major site plan review,” GIS Planner Jessica Harper said. 

According to a memo from Harper to the town council, the Unified Development Ordinance “allows some uses on a conditional basis subject to the issuance of a Special Use Permit (SUP). The SUP process ensures compatibility with the surrounding uses and keeping with the purpose of the general zoning district. The site plan is subject to administrative modifications based on the engineering plan review.”

Special use permits follow the town council approval process. An application will be filed with the zoning administrator and will be accompanied by a site-specific plan meeting the requirements of a major site plan.

That application and site plan will be reviewed by the China Grove Planning Board, which in that review, may suggest reasonable conditions to the location, nature and extent of the proposed use as well as its relationship to surrounding properties, which could include screening and timing of development among other such considerations. 

Mini storage was adopted as a permitted use for the property in 2022, however, expansion of mini storage requires a special use permit.

China Grove’s future land use plan identifies that general commercial zoning is in the area. 

“This is to encourage commercial and industrial development that utilizes effective landscaping and buffering to aid and improve the overall aesthetics of the community,” Harper said. “Objective 5.3D is to encourage industrial and commercial development located in designated areas. Also, strategy 5.3-D2 is to encourage light industrial uses that do not interfere with the residential, commercial or leisure development of the community.”

During a quasi-judicial hearing requires acceptance of “findings of fact,” submitted by the applicant. 

In this case, that means:

• The use will not materially endanger the public health or safety if located where proposed and developed according to the plan. Based upon testimony, there are no current code violations, traffic incidents or nuisance complaints reported. Public safety enhancements to the driveway to separate ingress/egress lanes, creating more space for vehicle queuing with automated customer entry via a Storage Genie app functionality. A Knox box shall be added to the newly created pediment of the keypad to ensure speedy fire department access to the site. 
• The use meets all required conditions and specifications. The use and proposed plans meet all required conditions and specifications, as further detailed throughout is proposed plans and specifications. The plan does not request relief from any of the town’s adopted codes and ordinances.
• The use will not substantially injure the value of adjoining or abutting property unless the use is a public necessity. No material evidence was presented suggesting this request would injure property values.
• The location and character of the use, if developed according to the plan as submitted and approved, will be in harmony with the area in which it is to be located and will be in general conformity with the adopted land use plans and other plans for physical development of the China Grove area as adopted by the town council. The proposed expansion and enhancement is consistent and in harmony with the existing use and site development ensuring conformity with the adopted Land Use Plan and Unified Development Ordinance of China Grove.

Harper said that required landscaping for the plan will be reviewed at a later time but features a Type-A planting yard. 

“That abuts up next to the residential district to the rear,” Harper said. 

The Unified Development Ordinance requires that any loading docks or parking spaces that abut a road which is Hope lane would have to be screened and not visible from street view.

The special-use permit was approved unanimously. With the approval, outside storage will cease as a feature on the property. 

Councilor Don Bringle confirmed that there would not be an outdoor storage of motorhomes or recreational vehicles on the site, adding, “The other thing I see that I like (is) you have a Knox box there. That’s good. Since this won’t be a staffed area.”

Councilor Cheryl Sheets said she was excited about the property “being clean.”

StorSafe’s in-house architect addressed the town council at the meeting and said the company hoped to break ground this year. 

“This is the future,” he said. “Unmanned facilities are going up all over the place. That is what we are doing more and more of. We are doing a lot of climate controlled stuff and I think this is a good use for this location.”