Developer presents 200,000-sq-ft industrial concept; commissioners flag access and alignment questions

Oppidan Investment Company presented a concept plan March 6 for a 200,000-square-foot office/warehouse/distribution building on a 3.24-acre site east of the Dayton Parkway roundabout, prompting questions about access, buffering and the future alignment of Dayton Parkway.

Mark (staff) described the parcel as a mix of industrial, business park and commercial comp-plan guidance and said the developer anticipated future applications — rezoning to I-1, conditional use permit for outdoor storage and a site plan review — if the concept moves forward. The plan shows 17 immediate dock doors and 39 knockout panels for future expansion, plus about 38,000 square feet of outdoor storage and roughly 69% impervious coverage.

Commissioners and staff urged the applicant to consider rotating the building so the office face would front Dayton Parkway and the truck court would face the existing industrial park. “We understand that screening of truck courts and visual sight lines from Dayton Parkway are important,” said Jay Moore, representing Oppidan, while noting site-grade and pond/wetland constraints put the truck court on the lower, north side of the site.

Access and circulation presented the most contested issues. Staff emphasized a need for a 35-foot landscape buffer along Dayton Parkway and recommended design choices to minimize visible truck activity from the Parkway. Commissioners asked whether access from 100th and 117th Avenue was needed immediately or if a single access via the roundabout leg would suffice for the initial phase. Staff and the applicant noted the site’s wetland and topographic constraints; one staff member said reconfiguring Dayton Parkway to the east could cost more than $10 million and require additional right-of-way acquisitions.

Commissioners recommended the applicant consider smaller, multiple buildings oriented north–south if that would improve circulation and allow additional access options. The applicant said the southern portion of the parcel is the most buildable and that the landowner had already conveyed some right-of-way for Dayton Parkway; the owner was reluctant to give up more area for additional roads.

No formal action was taken; the item was presented for informal feedback and public comment. Residents who spoke during a later comment period near the end of the discussion raised access-safety concerns along 117th Avenue and general traffic worries for neighboring streets.