Real estate developer Robert Lynn Co. Inc. has received a favorable recommendation from the Jeffersonville, Ind., Planning Commission for the rezoning of a property earmarked for self-storage. The 6.4-acre parcel along State Road 62 is in front of the Stacy Springs subdivision. The commission voted 5-1 to recommend the zoning change despite some opposition from neighboring residents.

The zoning applicant is the same company that developed the subdivision, according to the source. CEO Robert Lynn said the self-storage facility was part of the neighborhood’s original plan. The parcel was originally zoned for commercial by the county before Jeffersonville annexed the land and is adjacent to a 1.5-acre plot that is already zoned for commercial use, the source reported.

“From all practical standpoints, anybody would understand that on the frontage portion of entrance roads that are being put into development, that it would be more reasonable to have a [commercial] usage and have a proper buffer between that and the rest of your development plan,” Lynn said.

Some residents expressed concerns for the project during the public hearing, citing potential traffic issues and opposition to any commercial development. “If it is going to be something commercial, we do not want mini-storage,” homeowner Tabitha Keeney said. “We would rather it be something more beneficial for the community.”

Lynn said his company reached out to some residents about the self-storage project and found that nine of 15 were in favor. The project would include a 3,100-square-foot building with two entrances and a 6-foot perimeter fence, according to the source. There would also be a 20-foot landscape buffer between the storage facility and the subdivision. The facility would have gated, keypad access and security cameras.

Board member Connie Sellers warned residents that other types of commercial uses, such as restaurants, could bring much higher traffic counts. “That’s when you get the type of traffic that you don’t want back there, people scoping in your homes,” she said. There is a self-storage facility across from Sellers’ neighborhood, and she said traffic impact has been minimal.

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