The Plan Commission recommended a new self-storage project on Columbus Street, but hit pause on a proposed billboard rule change while staff works up a fee plan. Commissioners also flagged fence-height rules and 2026 permit fees as areas that may need cleanup or changes.
Key Decisions
Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of a conditional use permit for a self-storage development on Columbus Street, with conditions tied to a land division and stormwater plan before final site/architecture sign-off.
A proposed ordinance change on billboards was tabled to January after commissioners said they want the current rules to stay in place—so long as billboards require a permit—and asked staff to propose an appropriate fee.
Staff previewed possible changes to 2026 building permit and inspection fees, signaling potential cost changes for homeowners and contractors before the issue goes to City Council.
Public Input
No public comments or communications recorded for this meeting.
Agenda Items
Request for a Conditional Use Permit for the operation of self-storage units, located at Columbus Street, Parcel No. 202-201-010-9, in Industrial District I-2, submitted by Brian Backler.
Passed 6-0
The commission unanimously recommended that City Council approve a conditional use permit for self-storage on Columbus Street. The plan depends on a land division (to adjust lot lines) and requires an approved stormwater management plan before the project can move to site and architectural approval. For residents nearby, the key operational details in the record are 24-hour customer access and a ban on outdoor storage/operations—details that tend to drive neighborhood impacts.
Ordinance to amend Section 10-4-18, entitled “Signs Permitted by Zoning District” to regulate the erection of billboards in the city.
Tabled 6-0
Commissioners revisited a billboard-related ordinance change that had been discussed the prior month, and the direction here matters: they did not move forward with rewriting the rules yet. Instead, they signaled they want to keep the current ordinance language, but only if billboards require a permit, and they pushed staff to propose a specific fee. The item was tabled to January, which effectively delays any policy change while the city figures out the cost/permit structure.
Discussion of a possible ordinance amendment to Section 10-1-15 I (3)(c) to regulate the height of fences.
The commission raised a practical problem: the current code is vague on fence heights in side and rear yards, and commissioners suspect clearer language may exist elsewhere in the city code. Staff was directed to research whether an update is needed. This is the kind of small-code ambiguity that can turn into uneven enforcement, neighbor disputes, and case-by-case decision-making if it isn’t clarified.
Review of Extraterritorial Plat of Survey completed by Benjamin Reenders, Licensed Surveyor, Parcel 018-125-013-001.00.
Staff presented an extraterritorial plat of survey showing how a property owner intends to make a land division work. No approval was taken at this meeting; a finalized certified survey map is expected to come back at a future meeting for action. For residents, the main takeaway is this is an early step—watch for the later certified survey map when the commission is asked to approve the actual division.
Discussion of changes to building permit and inspection fees for 2026.
Staff outlined potential changes to building permit and inspection fees for 2026 and said the proposal will be headed to City Council soon. Even without numbers in these minutes, fee changes can directly affect the cost of home projects and small construction work, so residents should watch for the council agenda item where the actual fee schedule will be spelled out. This is a policy lever the city can use to cover inspection costs—or unintentionally price out smaller projects—depending on how it’s set.