The Lorain Zoning Board of Appeals approved on June 4 a variance reducing required parking for a proposed self‑storage facility at 2630 Colorado Avenue, subject to conditions that the primary Colorado Avenue access be entrance‑only and that the applicant pursue an additional entrance/exit into the adjacent industrial park (subject to property‑owner/City approvals and final development plan review).

Jason Gocherski, who identified himself as the applicant and gave a Cleveland Heights address during the hearing, said he has not yet ordered a full feasibility study or final site plan because of costs but that market analysis he reviewed showed demand on the east side of the river. “I’ve looked at the market analysis… I’ve seen the two, but I’ve never seen any more than the two,” he said, noting he would adjust project size based on a paid feasibility study.

Gocherski told the board he does not plan on an on‑site retail operation for boxes or moving supplies and wants to discourage overnight parking or outdoor storage; the conditional use application includes a prohibition on outdoor storage, he said. The variance as presented sought a reduction of 41 parking spaces from the 51 spaces required by code (the record on this variance lists a shortfall of 41 from the 51 required).

Multiple board members and public commenters urged a traffic study and said Colorado Avenue and nearby intersections already experience heavy congestion. Board members and Councilor Mary Springowski repeatedly recommended creating an alternative access route via the adjacent River/Industrial Park Drive to reduce traffic impacts on Colorado Avenue. City staff warned the applicant that a city‑owned strip of land separates the parcel from the industrial park right‑of‑way and that the city would have to authorize any new access or easement.

Board discussion moved from a proposal to hold the application for a month for a traffic study to an alternative that conditions the variance on the applicant providing an additional entrance/exit to the industrial park and making the Colorado Avenue access entrance‑only, with details to be resolved during final development plan review. The board also discussed a wetland study the applicant said he had and that it was recent; staff asked for that to be filed.

The motion to approve the parking variance with the conditions described — additional entrance/exit into the industrial park (with necessary city approvals/easements), Colorado Avenue entrance‑only configuration, and Planning Commission and final development plan review — was made, seconded, and carried. The board recorded the motion as approved.