Simi blocks new self-storage applications

It’s stories like this one you hate to see:

“Concerned that too few properties are left for professional office or light industrial development, the Simi Valley City Council slapped an urgency moratorium on self-storage facilities applications,” reported the Ventura County Star, a California newspaper.

The decision echoes the council’s goal of balancing the housing-to-jobs ratio, and self-storage takes up a lot of usable land but employs few, the paper reported. The conclusion: self-storage is overbuilt in the area.

The council is expected to revisit the issue before the 45-day moratorium ends. The temporary ban could be extended up to two years.

Stories like this cry for developers to use smart site selection strategies so that cities don’t put the “overbuilt” stamp on the next project. Stories like this also cry for community relations. If self-storage was viewed as an asset rather than a hindrance, the city may have a different attitude.

There’s no getting around the fact that self-storage doesn’t create as many jobs as some other business types, but being a good corporate citizen can pay dividends. We all have a responsibility to do our part toward keeping a positive image for self-storage.

Click here to read the original newspaper story. 

Add comment January 15th, 2007