The Collier County Planning Commission unanimously approved on Friday plans for an automobile self-storage facility on the southwest corner of Airport-Pulling Road and Orange Blossom Drive in North Naples.
The 10-acre property is split into two parcels with the northernmost being the site of the Naples Italian American Foundation. To the south of the facility will be the recently approved The Haven at North Naples apartment complex.
The property, which is currently zoned for agriculture, is proposed to allow up to 104,000 square feet of leasable area for indoor self-storage, including up to 70 automobile and boat storage units. When the project was initially submitted by Lutgert Medical Center, the plans were for a 75,000-square-foot medical office. Wayne Arnold, a certified planner that was representing the applicant, said those plans changed after Hurricane Ian when there became more of a need for vehicle storage space.
“People lost so many vehicles that were in the coastal area, a noncoastal location to build a secure facility that would house largely cars and other personal items became sort of the highest and best use,” Arnold said.
The height of the building is proposed to be 35 feet, a decrease from the medical facility, which was proposed to exceed 50 feet with the trip-cap projection being decreased to 16 peak-hour trips. A right-in, right-out driveway is proposed for Airport-Pulling Road, allowing traffic from the Italian American Club to access that street. According to an ordinance within the subdistrict, an interconnection must be made between the two parcels.
“I would applaud the applicant in terms of hearing the concerns of the surrounding neighborhood and lowering the heights and lowering the intensity proposed,” Collier County Planning and Zoning Director Mike Bosi said. “I think what’s being proposed is something that will generate a small amount of traffic in comparison to what could go from a commercial standpoint.”
The applicant was not required to hold any public meetings after changing the proposal since the storage facility results in a reduction in intensity from what was first presented. The only public speaker at the hearing was James Boatman, a lawyer representing the Naples Italian American Foundation. He said that there has been lack of communication by the developer with the foundation, specifically about the required interconnection between the two parcels.
Land use attorney Rich Yovanovich said that he has attempted to reach out to the foundation but did not get a response.
“I believe that it would be premature for this board to send this proposal to the Board of County Commissioners before there has been additional communications by and between parcel one and parcel two,” Boatman said.
Planning Commission Chair Edwin Fryer encouraged that both parties engage in further discussion to reach an agreement before the project goes before the commissioners.
“I’m confident that if we were to postpone hearing this that it wouldn’t advance the ball in any significant degree,” Fryer said.
Final approval will go before the county commissioners at a later date.
