Committee gives advisory approval to U‑Haul planned use at 1404 W. Highway 50, with variances for parking and signage

O'Fallon — The Community Development Committee on Monday voted to recommend approval of a planned use (B-1P) for a U‑Haul Moving & Storage Center at 1404 West Highway 50, a roughly 7.05‑acre parcel formerly occupied by RP Lumber. The committee's vote was advisory; the full City Council will consider the ordinance and final approvals.

Greg Anderson, the city's director of community development, presented the petition from applicant Sahithya Shiruku of Americo Real Estate Company and described a two‑phase project that would renovate two existing southern buildings near Highway 50 and add a three‑story, climate‑controlled self‑storage building on the northern portion of the site facing I‑64.

The proposal requests multiple variances and site exceptions, including truck and equipment rentals in a B‑1 district, an alternative parking plan, and additional wall signage. Anderson told the committee the project would include about 1,038 self‑storage units (not including U‑Box pods), a roughly 36,000‑square‑foot three‑story storage building, a 15,000‑square‑foot retail/office showroom and an approximately 12,000‑square‑foot U‑Box storage building in phase 2.

Anderson said the property is currently zoned Community Business District (B‑1) and, if approved, would change to B‑1P (planned community business). "This is a planned use submittal for the property at 1404 West Highway 50, which is approximately 7.05 acres," Anderson said.

Why it matters: Committee members and members of the public pressed staff and the applicant on traffic, cross‑access, signage and security. The project would repurpose a long‑vacant commercial lot, add retail sales that could generate sales tax, and seek relief from several standards in the city's code.

Details and debate

Parking and alternative parking plan: City code requires one parking space for every five storage units plus four spaces per 1,000 square feet of office/retail; Anderson said the code calculation required 227 spaces for the site. The applicant's parking study using Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) data proposed a peak demand estimate of 45–46 vehicles and submitted an alternative plan that would provide 44 spaces plus required ADA stalls. The staff recommendation included allowing the alternative parking plan and reducing required stalls to 44, with a minimum of two accessible stalls.

Traffic and cross access: Committee members and residents asked whether truck traffic could be funneled to signalized intersections and whether large trucks could safely make left turns onto Highway 50. Anderson said staff had pressed for cross‑access agreements with adjacent Sam's Club and Walmart parcels to reduce left turns onto Highway 50. He also said the city and its traffic consultant, Lee Cannon with CBB, were concerned about rented U‑Haul drivers turning left from the south exit and therefore had emphasized cross access as mitigation.

Signage and variances: The petitioner seeks extra wall signs on multiple elevations of the three primary buildings and a total additional 40.88 square feet above the code allowance across the site. Some council members said the request was larger than recent sign variances and asked whether three sides instead of four would be more appropriate; staff noted that other high‑traffic commercial areas in the city have been granted similar relief.

Operations, security and restrictions: Anderson and the applicant said the project would not include outdoor vehicle or RV storage; any outdoor storage would be required to be screened by a 6‑foot vinyl fence. Hours of business were proposed as Monday–Thursday and Saturday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Friday 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; and Sunday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with after‑hours access for registered patrons via access codes and card readers from 5 a.m.–10 p.m. Staff recommended limiting U‑Haul display trucks to three along Highway 50 in front of the drive‑in storage portion of the site. Anderson also said license‑plate readers and a comprehensive security system would be installed across the property.

Applicant responses: Mike White, a U‑Haul representative, told the committee the site would not include fuel sales or on‑site vehicle repair. "We do not have any fuel at our properties. Some U‑Haul locations do refill propane tanks. We do not have that planned at this location currently," White said.

Committee vote and next steps: After discussion, committee members moved and seconded consideration of the item and took a roll call vote. Alderman Rosenberg, Alderman Parchment, Alderman Mylark, Alderman Campbell and Chair Jessica Lotz voted in the affirmative; Alderman Todd Roach was present but muted and his vote was not recorded. The committee's recommendation is advisory; the matter will be scheduled for full City Council consideration.

What the decision was not: The committee's vote does not authorize construction or final permits. Anderson said specific building plans, any final cross‑access agreements and construction permits will be reviewed separately as part of the city's development and building review processes.

Ending: The project will return to the full City Council for a final vote; staff and the applicant said they will continue work on cross‑access agreements, finalize technical plans, and address signage and traffic concerns raised by committee members during the presentation and public comment.