Latimer rezoning for climate‑controlled storage deferred after public comment and council concern

The Smyrna Town Council on April 8 deferred action for 30 days on a rezoning request for approximately 1.45 acres at South Lowry Street and Stewart Drive that would have changed the property from a PRD with LSO overlay to a Planned Industrial District (PID) with LSO overlay for a proposed 78,277‑square‑foot, three‑story climate‑controlled self‑storage building.

Rob Olson, representing the applicant (Robert Latimer), said the design had been revised from earlier submissions and that the project could act as a catalyst for development in the Lower Street Overlay (LSO) district. Neighbors who spoke during the public hearing said they opposed the project, citing concerns about property values, loss of informal open space used by children and the proximity of other storage facilities.

Kevin (planning staff) outlined the proposal and noted the Planning Commission recommended approval by a 4‑1 vote with several conditions. The applicant requested multiple exceptions: a parking reduction from the ordinance required 26 spaces to 22; a reduction in the Lowry Street building setback from 40 feet (LSO baseline) to 25 feet; modifications to awning and street‑tree requirements due to utility conflicts; and a modified buffer adjacent to townhomes. Staff said revised plans had been submitted showing a sidewalk along South Lowry Street.

Council discussion focused on land‑use fit (the town’s land‑use plan designates the site as mixed‑use center), building scale and aesthetics, visibility from the main entrance to town, and traffic and parking impacts. Several council members said they were uncomfortable approving an industrial‑zoned use in an area the comp plan indicates for mixed commercial/residential development, even though the applicant’s design had been revised to be more architecturally refined than earlier versions.

Representatives from the public said they use the site informally for recreation and worried that a storage facility would reduce neighborhood open space; one resident said an existing storage facility is already located about half a mile away. Applicant representatives said self‑storage buildings of the modern, enclosed type generate relatively low daily customer traffic compared with residential townhomes and that the latest design conceals storage doors behind glazed facades so the building would not present the metal‑door look of older storage facilities.

At the applicant’s request, a council member moved to accept a 30‑day deferral to allow the applicant and staff to address outstanding concerns and possible revisions. The council granted the deferral; the motion passed on a recorded vote of 4 in favor and 2 opposed.