Council advances conditional rezoning for former Colosseum site on Telegraph after debate

Taylor City Council on April 7 advanced a conditional rezoning for the former Colosseum site on Telegraph Road that would allow the property to become an indoor self-storage facility under a contract-style set of conditions including expanded setbacks, additional buffering and limited hours.

Planning consultant Laura explained the application as a contract-style conditional rezoning specific to indoor storage and said the file included more than a dozen requirements the applicant must meet. "This is a conditional rezoning at the former Colosseum on Telegraph Road...this conditional rezoning is specific to indoor storage and it offers additional buffering, landscaping, and its setback is greater than most any building on Telegraph Road," she said.

During discussion, a councilmember who opposed the measure said the corridor's long-range master plan prioritized commercial uses that contribute to vitality and that an additional storage facility would not fit that vision. "I am not in favor of introducing another storage facility along the Telegraph Corridor," the councilmember said, citing the master-plan process and resident input.

Despite those concerns, the first reading was approved on a roll-call vote (recorded in the minutes as 5 in favor, 1 opposed). Councilmembers noted the rezoning includes an 18-month expiration clause if construction does not commence and that the planning commission and consultant recommended approval. The item will return for a second reading at a future meeting per the city charter.