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Developer pitches climate-controlled storage at Wilkinson Boulevard; commissioners voice gateway concerns
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Summary
A Johnson Development representative proposed a three-story, climate-controlled storage building with roughly 33,000 sq ft footprint and 5,000 sq ft of first-floor 'maker space.' Commissioners expressed concerns about using a gateway parcel for storage and asked about tenant enforcement, parking and building appearance.
Hunter Dawkins, representing Johnson Development, presented a pre-development concept on Jan. 20 for a climate-controlled storage building at the corner of Wilkinson Boulevard and Peach Orchard Road.
Dawkins described a three-story structure with an approximate 33,000-square-foot footprint and about 5,000 square feet of first-floor space intended for ‘maker space’—small tenant spaces aimed at businesses—while the rest of the building would be climate-controlled storage units. He said average storage unit sizes would be about 10-by-10 feet with the largest units about 10-by-30 feet. Dawkins estimated the project as roughly a $15 million investment and said the building would not provide 24/7 public access; access would be restricted and business hours would be limited (proposed 8 a.m.–6 p.m.).
Planning staff and board members questioned parking feasibility, building appearance and whether the site was appropriate for higher-profile uses. Bridget Grant (planning consultant/staff as recorded) and Planning Director Josh Watkins discussed access points on Wilkinson Boulevard and Peach Orchard Road and said conditional zoning could limit uses and enforce architectural standards. Commissioner Kincaid said the parcel is a gateway site and was not sure storage was the best use; Mayor Wills said, “We only have once chance to see this land developed,” and expressed concern that citizens would frown upon storage as a front-door use to the town.
Commissioner Helms raised enforcement and marketability questions, asking how maker-space tenants would be selected and who would enforce user restrictions. Dawkins said managers would interview potential tenants and the property manager would be involved; Bridget Grant said conditional zoning could set tenant-type conditions and zoning would be enforced by the town.
The board did not take formal action on the concept at the meeting and several commissioners asked staff to arrange a site visit to see a comparable Huntersville project before the developer presents the proposal to the Planning & Zoning Board.
Sources and attribution: Attributions are to Hunter Dawkins (Johnson Development), Bridget Grant (planning staff/consultant as recorded), Planning Director Josh Watkins, Commissioner Kincaid and Mayor Nelson Wills, per the Jan. 20 meeting transcript. No rezoning application or formal vote was recorded at this meeting.