Commission approves commercial storage complex in Wanship with stormwater review condition after public safety comments

The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit and final site plan for a proposed commercial storage facility on Lot 3 of the Red Onion Amended Subdivision in Wanship, subject to an additional condition requiring the applicant to consult the county stormwater division for best-practice runoff and contamination mitigation.

Planner Tiffany summarized the project as seven storage buildings with about 60 units (approximately 18,570 square feet of building area) plus an open storage area of roughly 17,366 square feet. She said the site is about 6.21 acres at 2135 South 50 West, directly behind the former Chicken Inn. The site faces multiple constraints: a Rocky Mountain Power transmission-line easement through the center, the Silver Creek corridor and floodplain along one edge, and the rail-trail corridor on the other. "A portion of the development does fall within the floodplain," Tiffany said; the county engineer (floodplain manager) reviewed the application and required notes in the staff report.

Tiffany said the applicant proposed a 50-foot setback from the rail trail and screening vegetation and fencing around the proposed outdoor storage area; the commercial zone is not subject to the rail-trail corridor's 100-foot setback but the applicant offered the 50-foot buffer voluntarily. She described lighting as down-facing, motion-activated fixtures located between units, and noted the applicants proposed 64 parking spaces while the code would require 55.

Several members of the public spoke. Vernon Storage owner Clayton Vernon said he supports the project but cautioned that outdoor open storage can appear "cluttery" and requires ongoing maintenance. Resident TJ Bates opposed the proposal as inconsistent with his vision for Wanship, saying the community needs businesses that build community rather than more storage units.

Commissioners and members of the public raised public-safety questions: the Summit County Sheriff's Office had flagged storage facilities in low-visibility locations as potential targets for criminal activity; commissioners asked whether the applicant would require tenant screening, gates, lighting, or monitoring. Applicant Sheldon Smith said the project would include a secure gate with code access, fencing, down-facing lights that activate when a tenant accesses the site, and on-site oversight by the owner's adjacent residence.

Commissioners also discussed stormwater/runoff and contamination risks from oil or diesel storage in the open area near Silver Creek and in the floodplain. Tiffany and the applicant confirmed that the engineering department had reviewed and approved stormwater plans and that the health of on-site drainage would be subject to building-permit and grading approvals. Commissioners asked for additional mitigation options such as a berm to protect the creek; the applicant agreed to consult engineering and work with stormwater staff to identify best practices. The commission added a condition that the applicant consult the county stormwater division to determine best practice; if the required mitigation significantly alters the approved final site plan, the applicant must return to the commission for modification approval.

A motion to approve the CUP and final site plan with the added stormwater-consult condition passed, with one commissioner voting against the item because he felt public-safety concerns had not been fully addressed. Don Sargent recused himself from the matter.