785-unit Self-Storage Facility Proposed for Surprise

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX

A new self-storage facility is being proposed on approximately 16.45 acres at the NWC of Sweetwater Avenue and Litchfield Road in the Marley Park Planned Area Development of Surprise.

Hunter Engineering, the applicant and civil engineer for the project, known as the Litchfield Self-Storage Facility, is requesting a Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan approval on behalf of the owner, Insite Property Group.

Litchfield Self-Storage Facility is planned to include an office building and five buildings housing a total of 785 storage units. Building A, which is the office building, will be approximately 1.1KSF and will be of contemporary design. Buildings C-E which will hold some of the storage units, will range in size from approximately 32KSF-35KSF. Building B will total about 10.8KSF and Building F will total 8.2KSF.

84 covered Recreation Vehicle (RV) parking spaces as well as an RV wash station will also be included. The covered spaces will total approximately 50KSF and will be located towards the SEC of the site along with the wash station.

The office building will be accessible to the public, sitting in front of a gated areas at the SEC of the project site. Buildings B, E and F will be placed along the perimeter of the site at the north, east and west portions. Buildings C and D, as well as the RV spaces will be placed at the interior of the property.

Access to the site will be from two points at Sweetwater Avenue. According to the project staff report, “The plan provides a pedestrian path from the main office building to the sidewalk in the right-of-way along Sweetwater Avenue to the south.” The project proposes 113 parking spaces on site, including public and loading spaces, and 28 public parking spaces in front of the gated entry west of the office building.

A Neighborhood Outreach Meeting was held on February 21st, and multiple residents expressed concerns about the project. “Multiple residents expressed concerns with the use at this location given there is an existing mini-warehouse facility less than a mile to the north of the subject site,” the staff report states. “A resident also questioned how the design of the buildings onsite would fit into adjacent residential development.”

The staff report goes on to say that the applicant explained the need for storage and RV storage through their market study. The applicant also redesigned the perimeter buildings to complement the adjacent residential development.

The project is set to be heard at the City of Surprise Planning and Zoning meeting on May 6th. According to Insite, construction is expected to begin this month.