Council takes first reading on ordinance to rezone industrial site for 4-acre mini-storage development

The Scappoose City Council on Aug. 4 held a quasi-judicial public hearing and conducted the first reading of Ordinance 921, an application that would redesignate and rezone a 9.39-acre parcel near Crown Z Trail to allow a mini-storage facility greater than the three-acre cap allowed in the current light-industrial zone.

Assistant City Manager and City Planner NJ Johnson presented a detailed staff report describing the consolidated land-use application — comprising a comprehensive plan map amendment, zone change to expanded commercial, site development review and three sensitive-lands development permits for floodplain, wetlands and riparian development. The application proposes roughly 4.1 acres of storage buildings, two stormwater detention swales, landscaping, a caretaker residence and associated parking and utility connections. Staff recommended approval with conditions; the Planning Commission also recommended approval following its July 10 public hearing.

NJ Johnson said the city's current economic-opportunity analysis shows a commercial land deficit and industrial surplus, and that rezoning the parcel would align with the city’s broader planning goals. Sensitive-lands mitigation in the staff recommendation includes elevating buildings at least 1 foot above base flood elevation, watertight underground utilities, anchoring buildings, cut-fill balance in the floodplain, sediment fences around wetlands during construction, and revegetation of any nonnative vegetation removed in the riparian buffer.

The applicant, Adam (surname provided in meeting), described a market feasibility study showing high storage demand in the corridor and argued the facility would provide options for residents and businesses that currently face local capacity constraints. He said the design includes larger units able to store commercial equipment and RVs and that anchoring and foundation measures address flood risk.

Multiple agencies reviewed the proposal; Columbia River PUD, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and ODOT provided comments but did not object. ODFW suggested additional native sedges and woody debris as habitat enhancements; the city passed those suggestions to the applicant but did not require them. The applicant agreed to conditions including establishing required easements and providing a recorded trip cap of 999 daily trips to mitigate the higher trip-generation potential of commercial uses compared with industrial zoning.

Councilors asked detailed questions about trip generation (staff said the project is estimated at 76 weekday daily trips and the trip cap was vetted with ODOT), driveway access across the Crown Z Trail, utilities and the recordation of maintenance agreements and deed restrictions. Staff said any deviation from approved trip generation or substantial change in use would trigger reapplication or further analysis.

After closing the hearing, Councilor Jacobs moved and Councilor Haugen seconded a motion to adopt Ordinance 921 on first reading, accepting the findings and conditions as written. Council took the first reading; the council will hold the second reading and final action at a subsequent meeting.