Michigan City board approves use variance for Grandma’s Attic self-storage on Michigan Boulevard

Michigan City Board of Zoning Appeals members voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a use variance allowing Grandma’s Attic Self Storage to build indoor storage on a roughly 22.5-acre parcel east of 4400 East Michigan Boulevard and State Road 212.

The Board approved docket B-100-25 after the city planning department recommended approval subject to conditions, including an administrative subdivision to adjust internal lot lines, a site plan showing building and parking counts, and compliance with relevant zoning-ordinance parking and setback standards.

The applicant, James Diener, described plans to subdivide the parcel into three lots, preserve about 7.5 acres of wooded wetlands as conservation/marshland mitigation and sell that tract to a buyer who would use mitigation credits. Diener told the board the development would ultimately contain about 70,000 square feet of rentable space in three phases — roughly 30,000 square feet of climate-controlled units and 45,000 square feet of non–climate-controlled units — and that initial construction would include three buildings. He said the project would add a frontage road and that his team had coordinated with soil consultants and the Army Corps of Engineers about the wetlands.

Planning Director Dr. Edwards told the board that the planning department found the use would not be injurious to public health, safety or welfare, that access streets could handle traffic, and that the airport and water departments had raised no objections. "The department recommends approval of the requested use variance, docket number BDash100Dash25, subject to the following conditions," Edwards said.

Board Attorney Steven Hale summarized the record and advised the board it had authority to grant the request with conditions. The motion to approve came from Board member Deborah Vance and was seconded by Brian Gross. The roll call vote was Ricky Jackson: yes; Fred Clender: yes; Kathy Stransky: yes; Deborah Vance: yes; Brian Gross: yes.

Neighbors spoke during public comment about drainage and access. Tommy Kolovic of 1316 Ohio Street said residents were watching the proposal online and offered general support: "I just hope they come here and do nothing but profit and thrive, and I think this is gonna be a really great thing for that area." Neighbor Steven Kornacki of 5410 Rogowski Raised concerns about standing water and local road capacity, urging board-imposed drainage measures: "This is a wet area... if you guys do allow him to do the storage units, we're gonna need more than just that, subdivided parcel and that's staying as a wetland. We're gonna need some type of retention down there."

Diener told the board the site plan includes a retention area that would consolidate stormwater on-site and drain toward the preserved marshland and existing tile system that ultimately discharges toward Trail Creek.

The approval was subject to the planning department’s enumerated conditions: submit an administrative/minor subdivision to adjust internal lot lines; provide a site plan showing building unit counts and parking calculations per Article 18 provisions of the zoning ordinance; revise legal description language; and comply with other procedural and technical items listed in the staff report. City staff also noted the parcel is zoned B-3 Highway Commercial, where indoor storage is not listed as a permitted use but similar uses have been allowed under special circumstances in nearby districts.

Next steps for the project include completing the administrative subdivision, submitting the detailed site plan and meeting the staff conditions before building permits or related approvals proceed.