JACKSON STORAGE BRINGS OBJECTIONS

JACKSON -- Homeowners on Old Cape Road and K-Land Drive opposed a request to develop a self-storage facility in their neighborhood during a Jackson Board of Aldermen public hearing Monday night.

Aldermen will decide Aug. 4 whether to grant a special-use permit to J.J. & R. Sander Real Estate, L.L.C. to build and operate self-storage facilities on a lot zoned for a general commercial business owned by the company.

Three homeowners and a representative from an apartment complex voiced opposition to the request. They said the company's plan to place 132 storage sheds on the site would increase noise levels and traffic volume through the area and devalue residential property.

"We live 40 feet from my patio doors to the proposed facilities," said Gerald McElrath, 2635 Old Cape Road. "It's the stigma of the sheds, if I'm going to resell the properties, that I guess bothers me the most."

Susan Wallis represented the interests of Regency House of Jackson, 1104 K-Land Drive. She said Regency Management, which owns the apartment complex that caters to developmentally handicapped individuals, also has plans to build a group home and an apartment complex for elderly residents on its property. Allowing the storage facility in the neighborhood would disturb these residents, she said.

In addition, said Wallis, the storage facility would bring unacceptable traffic and noise. She questioned the owners' ability to keep users of the facilities from actions banned by their contracts -- like working on vehicles at night -- that would further disrupt the residential area.

"Personally, I would like to see some more normal business go up in the area," Wallis said.

Randy Sander told aldermen that his company had conducted research and made adjustments to minimize the effects of a storage facility on the neighborhood. Adjustments included locating the sheds near the front of the property line away from residential neighbors and using lighting that would not disturb surrounding properties. A security fence would also be erected that would provide a bufffer, he said.

Sander said he wanted to work with the homeowners, but did not believe the storage facilities would disturb the surrounding properties or decrease values any more than any other general business.

"We're proposing this facility because it gives Jackson a facility it does not have," Sander said. "We've looked at the surrounding properties and don't believe it will alter property values because our retail aspects will be closer to the front property lines, away from residential property lines."

In other business, aldermen approved a quarterly payment of $5,500 to Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association and a payment of $4,000 to the Jackson Chamber of Commerce Small Business Recruitment Program. Mayor Paul Sander said both payments will be used to promote commercial growth for the city.

"We want to see our storefronts filled up in Jackson," Sander said. "We've become very aware and feel very strongly about the importance of retail."