Planning commission approves conditional use for self‑storage at 288 S. Academy with required amenity space

The Colorado Springs City Planning Commission on June 11 approved a conditional use to allow a self‑storage facility at 288 South Academy Boulevard, a roughly 3.34‑acre parcel in the MXM zoning with airport and streamside overlays. The commission voted unanimously to approve the application on the condition that the applicant incorporate an outdoor amenity space into the development plan as shown at the hearing.

The application, presented by Allison Stalker, senior planner with the city’s land use review team, asked the commission to permit self‑storage within the streamside overlay. Stalker said the use is permitted in the base MXM zone but is conditional because of overlay requirements. She told commissioners the property was developed in 1985 and has existing impervious surfaces that do not meet current streamside standards, and staff was concerned about compatibility and whether the streamside mitigation and amenity criteria (in particular criteria 4 and 11) would be satisfied. Stalker said the city received about 131 mailed notices and one public comment opposing…