Homeowners in Richmond, Va., are contesting a self-storage development proposed for a 2-acre landmark site in a residential area. More than 100 people signed an online petition against the project last week, according to the source. A public meeting to discuss the proposal is scheduled for Dec. 6.

Hanky LLC, which signed a contract to purchase the former Forest View Rescue Squad building, is seeking a special-use permit to change the property on Forest Hill Avenue from residential to commercial. Michael C. Hanky sent a letter to neighbors in July outlining the company’s plans for the development, which includes about 700 interior, climate-controlled units. “I believe this use is a great fit for the location due to its low impact on surrounding properties,” Hanky wrote. “The type of storage building that I am proposing incorporates area-appropriate architecture, is extremely quiet and generates very little traffic.”

A second letter on Nov. 21 from Hanky’s attorney stated the storage building had been redesigned based on homeowners’ input “in an effort to offer a more aesthetically pleasing view and preserve sight lines from neighboring property.” The facility would incorporate four-sided architecture and high-quality building materials including brick, split-faced concrete masonry units and synthetic stucco, wrote Andrew Condlin, a partner at Roth Doner Jackson Gibbons Condlin PLC.

Krystyna Lineberry, who launched the Change.org petition and shares a property line with the site, said she and her neighbors plan to fight the zoning request. “If we’re enjoying our deck or pool in the summer, I don’t want to have to look at a commercial building next to me. I think the effect on my property value would be very detrimental,” she said.

Residents are also concerned about increased traffic and the property’s lighting. “If I ever put my house on the market and people walk out back and see this monstrosity of a storage unit, that’s a pretty big negative,” said Paul Hamlet, whose property borders the lot. “Traffic’s a big issue. A lot of people are concerned about theft.”

The facility’s design includes screening trees and a 50-foot buffer along the rear of the property to block any negative visual or noise impacts, Condlin said.

Hanky declined to address the online petition. “We reached out to the community several months ago in an effort to make neighbors aware of our proposal and solicit their feedback. We have just recently become aware of these concerns and want to respond appropriately at the community meeting,” Hanky wrote in an e-mail to the source.

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