Planning commission reviews adaptive reuse proposal for 70 Industrial Way self‑storage

Buellton — The Buellton City Planning Commission on an evening meeting reviewed a preliminary proposal to convert an existing 2.2‑acre warehouse at 70 Industrial Way into a self‑storage facility, staff said.

Planning staff presenter Cherise told commissioners, "The project tonight for preliminary review is the 70 Industrial Way Self Storage Project." The application would retain the building footprint and add exterior drive‑up storage units and a full second floor within the existing structure; staff said the plan shows about 675 storage units within the building and an approximately 40,000‑square‑foot first floor with an 18,000‑square‑foot proposed second floor expansion.

Staff said the addition of exterior units and second‑floor interior storage requires a final development plan because those site improvements were not authorized by the prior development plan. Staff flagged several outstanding items for the applicant to address before a complete application can be accepted: confirmation of trash facilities; lighting specifications and dark‑sky‑compliant fixtures due to adjacency to Zaca Creek; verification of site coverage and setbacks; and whether exterior units adjacent to Zaca Creek must be removed or relocated because of a 20‑foot public utilities easement and a 50‑foot creek setback in the general plan.

The applicant representatives, Jacob Adler and Andrew Fishman of AJR Capital Group, told the commission the plan is an adaptive reuse of a vacant warehouse into a "clean, secure, and moderate" self‑storage facility and that they intend to work with city staff throughout the review. Adler said the operator would use proven management systems; staff later noted that StoreQuest is the operator contracted for monitoring and access systems.

Commissioners asked about fire‑protection requirements for the proposed second floor, and staff said preliminary fire comments were not alarming and that sprinklers would be installed if required by code. Commissioners and staff discussed the potential for a CEQA Class 32 (infill) categorical exemption; staff explained the Class 32 criteria, including the site being under 5 acres and having no significant impacts to biological resources, traffic, noise or air quality. Staff said the application is currently incomplete and that CEQA applicability would be determined when the application is complete.

Commissioners offered preliminary comments asking the applicant to: confirm trash enclosures or shared service arrangements with adjacent parcels; comply with the community design guidelines for new exterior units; demonstrate dark‑sky‑compliant lighting and minimize light spill toward Zaca Creek; and show how floodplain construction standards or elevation requirements would be met for units proposed in the floodplain.

Staff recommended the commission provide preliminary comments to be included in the city’s incomplete letter to the applicant. No formal action, vote or entitlement was taken at the meeting; staff said an incomplete letter will be issued to the applicant and that the applicant should respond with the additional details requested.

The Planning Commission moved on to a separate preliminary review of another Industrial Way storage proposal after comments.