High local demand for self-storage is driving an Extra Space Storage facility in Naperville to seek an expansion, and the city — so far — is supportive of the idea.
The Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday night voted to endorse plans for the proposed facility expansion. The matter is now on to the City Council for final consideration at a future meeting.
On the Planning and Zoning agenda Wednesday was a proposal to add 169 new self-storage units to an existing Extra Space Storage facility at 1432 W. Ogden Ave. New units would be split among five new, one-story self-storage buildings.
Extra Space is looking to expand so it can meet a rise in area demand for self-storage, city staff said in an agenda report. The average occupancy of its Ogden Avenue facility is around 97%, according to Brendan Penny, an attorney representing Extra Space.
“A core motivator for the proposed project … is the demand and really the use that this site experiences within the city of Naperville and how it services the surrounding municipalities,” Penny said to commissioners Wednesday, adding that the existing site’s occupancy was “extraordinary.”
The proposed expansion, however, requires city approval of several entitlements. Those include: A major change to the planned unit development previously approved for the subject property, a conditional use permit to allow Extra Space to construct new storage units and five deviations from municipal code.
The original PUD that allowed for Extra Space Storage units off Ogden Avenue dates back to 2006. The PUD covered three lots. Approvals included the development of a three-story, self-storage building and two, one-story self-storage buildings — totaling around 90,000 gross square feet — on one of the subdivision’s three lots. However, the original PUD did not include any proposed improvements for remaining lots.
Extra Space needs a major change to pursue those additional lot improvements. The five new self-storage buildings Extra Storage wants to build would be located on one of the subdivision’s two other lots. On the other, Extra Space has plans to construct a stormwater detention facility.
As for deviations, requested allowances include relief from setback, landscaping and density requirements.
Commissioners gave all requests a favorable recommendation without question.