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Planning commission denies proposed 105,000 sq ft self‑storage at 2830 Airline Boulevard, citing corridor saturation
Summary
By a 3–2 vote, Portsmouth’s planning commission denied SafeStore’s proposal for a three‑story, ~105,000 sq ft climate‑controlled self‑storage facility at 2830 Airline Boulevard (UP‑25‑14), with commissioners citing concentration of storage uses, modest tax benefit and limited job creation.
The Portsmouth Planning Commission voted 3–2 on Jan. 6 to deny a use permit application (UP‑25‑14) from SafeStore Real Estate Company to operate a three‑story, climate‑controlled self‑storage facility at 2830 Airline Boulevard.
Planning staff described the site as a 2.27‑acre parcel in the GMU zoning district with an aging commercial building and vacant rear area. Patrice Branch, planning staff, said the applicant proposed a ~105,000 square‑foot facility with roughly 850 storage units, 22 off‑street parking spaces, loading areas and a stormwater detention pond. Staff recommended approval with conditions and noted no public comments had been received before the hearing.
The applicant’s attorney, Rob Beaman, and principals said the proposal would provide a Class‑A, climate‑controlled facility that targets commercial users (applicants estimated ~30% business customers), donates a unit per floor to nonprofits, reserves ground‑floor space that could serve as a police substation and cited a third‑party market study reporting continued demand relative to national per‑capita averages.
Several commissioners disagreed. A key argument in opposition focused on the perceived saturation of self‑storage along Airline Boulevard and the limited direct public benefit the project provides. One commissioner cited the project’s packet estimate of a $12.5 million construction cost and noted the packet projected roughly $120,000 in additional annual tax revenue for the city and only three employees on site — figures opponents said did not justify approving yet another storage facility in a constrained land‑supply context.
Commissioner Melvin moved to deny the application for those reasons; Commissioner Glover seconded. The motion to deny passed 3–2. The opposing commissioners argued the facility would modernize an underutilized parcel and serve local businesses in need of climate‑controlled storage.
SafeStore representatives said they had conducted a market analysis and that the proposed building type differs from older, at‑grade facilities along Airline Boulevard; they emphasized community contributions such as donated units for nonprofits and potential police substation space. Planning staff noted the site will require standard site‑plan, stormwater and buffering conditions if the use were to proceed.
The commission’s denial ends the application at the planning commission level; applicants may pursue administrative or legislative appeals or revise and resubmit, subject to local code and timelines.
