Storage yard expansion in the South Flats approved by council

By Collin Gallant on October 6, 2017.

Medicine Hat News

An expansion of a self-storage yard in the South Flats will be allowed to proceed, though the work has mostly been completed already, after council approved the development permit on Oct. 2.

Storzall Mini-Storage, located at 1001 Bridge St., recently lined the back of its lot with shipping containers to create another row of units on lands it has partly leased from Canadian Pacific Railways.

The property is designated as mixed use, but the leased land is zoned as direct control, thereby giving council final authority to approve major changes to the property. Furthermore, storage containers, or “seacans,” are not allowed outside industrial zones.

The owner, Marlyn Assets made the application to the city’s planning department and municipal planning commission in late August.

It was dealt with this week after advertising for a public hearing garnered no responses.

Council members approved the application at its final meeting of the term citing the facility’s well-kept appearance and a city staff determination that seacans could be acceptable on the site.

A review by the city hall’s technical committee found that departments had no concerns with the proposal.

The area also falls under the River Flats Redevelopment Plan, which envisions a commercial development in the area. Staff noted in background that placing containers can be considered a temporary use that doesn’t conflict with the Flats plan.

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