Planning commission backs conditional use for climate-controlled storage near Stevens Plantation

The St. Cloud Planning Commission on an evening meeting recommended approval of Resolution 2025-013R, a conditional-use request for a climate-controlled storage facility on approximately 2.2 acres within the Stevens Plantation planned unit development, staff said. The commission’s recommendation was unanimous, 4-0, and the item will advance to the St. Cloud City Council for final action.

Tisha Manning, zoning manager for the City of St. Cloud Community Development, told the commission: "The project before you is for a conditional use for cloud storage. That will be located at, approximately north of Nolte Road, east of Pinechase Circle and west of Progress Lane. It is a conditional use, and staff is recommending approval with conditions." Manning said staff’s recommendation includes that approval of the conditional use does not itself approve the concept plan as a site plan and that additional approvals required by the land-development code will be needed.

The applicant described the proposal as a three‑story climate‑controlled storage facility featuring interior and exterior units, secured perimeter fencing and security gates. Don Huey of Askey Huey said there will be "no windows on the west side which face the residential units" and that an existing stand of trees along the property line "are to remain." He described circulation as a single in-and-out drive from the cul-de-sac, mostly one‑way internal traffic, and said the design includes a privacy gate with access code and building-level fire protections.

A resident representing neighbors expressed concerns about drainage, trash and privacy. "I'm just concerned to make sure that there's proper drainage that doesn't negatively affect our residential community," said Joey Rodriguez Sr., identifying himself as president of the homeowners association for the adjacent development at 2452 Pine Chase Circle. Rodriguez also asked that security cameras not "look into the back of the houses in our neighborhood." The applicant's engineer responded that paved areas will use an inverted crown collecting to inlets and a conveyance system that outlets to the campus master pond, that an existing 30-foot landscape easement will remain, that a dumpster will be enclosed, and that cameras would be oriented to monitor the building and drive aisles rather than neighboring yards.

Commissioners asked about height limits, visibility of roll‑up doors and the location of any access doors. Manning said the proposed three‑story height does not exceed the PUD limits and that roll‑up doors will not be visible from the right-of-way. The applicant confirmed one small walk-through door on the west elevation for interior access or emergency exit but said no roll-up doors or windows would face the adjacent rear yards.

Motion and vote: A commissioner moved to recommend approval of Resolution 2025-013R based on the six required findings within the land-development code and staff-proposed conditions; a second was recorded and the commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval. The motion record in the transcript does not name the mover or seconder. The recommendation is advisory; final approval will be decided by the St. Cloud City Council.

The staff report and the applicant drew attention to items that will be handled at site-plan review, including the detailed drainage design, final landscaping, dumpster enclosure location, and final camera placement, all of which the commission and public identified as points for verification at the council and permitting stage.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 2025-013R (conditional use for storage facility) — recommendation to approve to city council; vote 4-0.