The county council just passed a bill that shifts future storage proposals from commercial to industrial zones, and the company behind the Elder Oaks storage plan has pulled out, likely opening the door for a zoning change to allow residential development instead. Residents seem pretty happy about the shift away from more storage facilities in their neighborhood.
Here are the highlights:
- Prince George’s County Council passed CB-11-2023, moving future consolidated storage proposals from commercial to industrial zones.
- The bill grandfathers in existing storage applications, including four in Bowie.
- The applicant for consolidated storage at Elder Oaks voluntarily withdrew their proposal, leading to audience applause.
- CB-11 sets an April 1 deadline for new consolidated storage proposals in commercial zones, effectively preventing new applications at Elder Oaks.
- An agreement is expected with the Elder Oaks property owner for a zoning change to allow other uses, potentially residential development.
- Residents expressed a preference for residential uses over commercial at the Elder Oaks site, which is near existing residential neighborhoods.
- Three other storage applications in Bowie are proceeding as they predated the bill’s deadline.
- County Councilmember Jolene Ivey emphasized that relegating future applications to industrial zones would limit the visibility of storage facilities.
- Consolidated storage has become popular due to high demand and low overhead, but it does not significantly contribute to local economic activity.
- Future meetings on storage proposals in Bowie are expected this year.
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Elder Oaks Storage Application Withdrawn, Zoning Change Coming
The Prince George’s County Council passed CB-11-2023 this Tuesday, moving future consolidated storage proposals in Prince George's County from commercial to industrial zones.
The bill, however, grandfathers in already in-the-works storage applications, including four in Bowie.
In a dramatic turn that drew audience applause at the meeting, County Councilmember Ingrid Watson, who represents Bowie, announced that the applicant pursuing consolidated storage at Elder Oaks voluntarily withdrew their proposal.
Because CB-11 sets an April 1 deadline for new consolidated storage proposals in commercial zones, no new applicant would realistically be able to apply, effectively preventing storage from moving forward at Elder Oaks.
It is widely expected that an agreement will be reached with the Elder Oaks property owner to consider a zoning change allowing other uses for the site, potentially residential development.
At several public meetings, residents around the Elder Oaks location bemoaned the possibility of other commercial uses. Several residents expressed a preference for residential uses at the site, consistent with the surrounding neighborhoods. The area includes the Pin Oak Senior Living Village, townhomes, condominiums, and apartment units.
Three other storage applications in Bowie are proceeding as they predated the bill's deadline. Their locations are the site of the New Life Center on Old Annapolis Road, the location behind Chaney Tire and Auto at Bowie Marketplace, and on Old Crain Highway, southwest of 301 and 214 near the site of the future South Lake development.
Prince George's County Councilmember Jolene Ivey, who authored the overall bill, thanked the County Council for supporting the effort, noting that while existing commercial storage applications would proceed, relegating future applications to industrial zones would help limit the sight of increasingly common storage in the region.
Consolidated storage has become a fast-growing business, driven by high demand, low overhead, and a perception of being recession-proof. In spite of their ubiquity, storage facilities average 90 percent capacity, and are comparatively resilient during periods of financial uncertainty, labor shortages, and supply chain challenges. Commercial property owners dissuaded from building new residential are more and more turning to consolidated storage as an alternative.
The trade off from a local economic development perspective is they don't add much economic activity to their immediate areas, don't generate useful foot traffic to support local retail, and can be less attractive than alternative uses.
Newer storage proposals have sought to address these concerns by improving outer aesthetic appearances, something the owner of Marketplace has emphasized in recent public meetings.
Future meetings on the storage proposals in Bowie are expected this year and I will be keeping residents posted on the latest. As always, question, thoughts, and feedback are welcome at mesteve@cityofbowie.org.