Commission recommends U-Haul special permit to redevelop former Kmart into storage, add mini-storage and RV covered spaces

The Waterloo Planning & Zoning Commission on Jan. 14 recommended approval of a special permit for Amerco Real Estate Company (U-Haul) to redevelop the former Kmart site into a U-Haul moving and storage facility with additional mini-storage construction and covered RV spaces at the University Avenue property.

Staff said the project repurposes a roughly 106,000-square-foot big-box building into interior storage and proposes 16,450 square feet of additional mini-storage plus covered RV storage totaling about 25,920 square feet. Staff described the redevelopment as a low-traffic reuse that fits the City—s objectives for University Avenue following reconstruction and a transfer of jurisdiction from the Iowa Department of Transportation. The site was described as roughly 11.18 acres with a possible addition of a vacated frontage road of about 0.31 acres to create an 11.49-acre development parcel.

Mike Schroeder, identified as marketing company president for U-Haul, told the commission the company will maintain its existing University Avenue location at 3633 University and that this proposal would be an additional facility. Staff noted technical issues to be addressed during permitting, including a stormwater review if parking or lot reconstruction occurs and fire-code review for building access and renovations; staff said the technical-review committee had no outstanding concerns with the special permit itself but engineering requested stormwater review for future lot changes.

The commission voted to recommend approval by voice vote after a motion from Commissioner Schaeffer and second from a commissioner; the staff recommendation included standard conditions that a final site plan meet applicable city codes for parking, landscaping and drainage and that any out-lots submit separate drainage plans when developed.