A public hearing during anOntario Council meeting generated an hour of dialogue among some Walker-Lake Road residents who are concerned about additional traffic being generated with the proposed construction of 491 self-storage units that Menards is hoping to buildon its property.
Menards is requesting the 6-acre property itowns to the east of the store, which is currently for sale,be rezoned for a conditional use from office service to business. The nearby property owners who spoke during the public hearing Wednesday night said they are opposed to the self-storage units being build behind their houses.
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Council did not vote on the rezoning requestWednesday night and will hold the matter to three readings with the final vote being taken at acouncil meeting in late May.
Menards has self-storage units at other locations
Tyler Edwards, real estate representative for Menards, headquarteredin Eau Claire, Wisconsin, told council members and residents thatMenards operates self-storage units in the Midwest where they operate Menards stores.
He saidtenantswould have 24-hour access and use a keycode to enter the secure facility, which would be maintained and monitored by Menards. The storage units would be 11-feet tall and 40 feet away from residents' properties, pending approval of the rezoning request, and the property would be landscaped. He said a lot of contractors use such storage units.
Outside storage would be part of the project with38 parking stalls forRVs and boats, he said.
Council members questioned if the existing Menards parking lot could provide an entrance to the storage units, butEdwards said that was not possible because of the elevation change.The property under consideration has an elevation which is5 to 10 feet belowother nearby properties.
Susan Hellinger, Ontario Planning Commission chairwoman, provided information about existing or current zoning of the site which allows forbusinesses includingdoctor's offices, veterinarian, a farm, a funeral home and even a gas station to be built there, all which would generate traffic.
No recommendation from planning commission
Planning commission did not make a recommendation to council on the rezone, leaving council to vote on the matter.
Marc Vanerio, 1883 Walker Lake Road,said he would like a park to be built on the property.
"There's a lot of animals back there," he said of deer, geese and raccoons.
He said peoplewalkon Menards land with their dogs and go fishing at the pond. He walked up and down Walker Lake Road letting people know about Menards plan and asking them to come to the meeting to voice their opinions.
"I'm not in favor of it. I would like to findsomething else to do with the land that would be aesthetically pleasing," Vanerio said.
"Maybe if you can't get your storage unit in there you could make it a park and get some funds from the city," he said.
Resident Mike Stallings of 1915 Walker Lake Roadsaid he is against the storage units being built behind his house. He's worried about litter and crime.
Edwards said Menards inherited the property when they bought the landfor the new store. Edwards sent a letter of notification to all neighbors whose properties abut the site.
'Property rights should be king'
Council president Eddie Gallo said it is Menards property, 100%. But the residents are 100% right about concerns for theirproperties too.
"We then are in the inevitable position,property rights should be king in this country. When you buy something, you own something, you should be able to do what you want with it...." Gallo said. "We're here stuck in the middle again. I guess we all anticipated something would come along eventually with that property but there would be a much more fluid and cooperative aspect."
The public hearing opened at 7:20p.m. and Gallo closed the hearing at 8:24 p.m.
Yuelong Jiang, 1947 Walker Lake Road, said her family has lived at their home for 14 years.
She provided a photograph of the view behind theirhouse at night with lights shining over the hillside.
"It makes our house look like a jail," she said, noting Menards property surrounds their house. "... We are right in the middle of their business."
She asked if anything would be done to make a barrier between their propertyand the access/entranceroad.
Edwards said he would have an answer at the next council meeting.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
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Twitter: @LWhitmir