Taylor council approves first reading to conditionally rezone former Colosseum site for self‑storage after debate

The Taylor City Council on April 7 approved the first reading of a conditional rezoning for a 2.525‑acre parcel on Telegraph Road to permit indoor self‑storage, moving the proposal to a required second reading after a 5‑1 vote.

Planning staff told the council the rezoning is a conditional contract that would limit the site to self‑storage as shown on the site plan, require additional landscaping and buffering, set hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., limit waste‑pickup windows, and include an 18‑month expiration if substantial construction does not begin. “This is a conditional rezoning…they can only be the self storage unit as designed and as shown on their site plan,” Planning Consultant Miss Fell said.

Councilmember Thomas, who opposed the rezoning, said the change would undermine the corridor vision in the city’s master plan and that storage uses did not align with Telegraph Road’s intended economic character. “While storage facilities can be appropriate in certain locations, I do not believe this use aligns with the vision we established for this corridor,” Thomas said.

Mayor Wooley and other supporters said developers had met with neighbors, had offered a conservation easement protecting a significant green buffer behind the site, and that previous approvals and site‑plan work supported the proposal. The planning commission and planning consultant recommended approval.

The matter will return for a second reading at the council’s next meeting, where councilmembers will again vote on adopting the ordinance. If denied at second reading, the item would not advance.