At tonight’s City Council meeting, East Bethel will consider allowing Sota Storage to expand its facility, with development timelines extending to 2032.
The problem? Self-storage is not specifically permitted under the property’s B-2 Central Business zoning. City staff acknowledge this but recommend consideration of the expansion based on the property’s history, including a 2020 approval.
Sota Storage is a legal nonconforming use. This protects its ability to continue operating, but it does not automatically authorize expansion.
The site currently has three completed storage buildings and an unfinished fourth. The current proposal would complete that fourth building and add two more, bringing the site to six buildings. The applicant is also requesting completion timelines extending to 2032. The city needs to clarify precisely which buildings and improvements were authorized in 2020, whether that approval remains valid, and which elements represent new expansion rights.
Didn’t We Just Address This?
Earlier this year, the City Council unanimously rejected an expansion concept for Cedarwood Estates, another nonconforming development, citing zoning and development concerns.
The applications involve different approval processes, but the underlying principle deserves consistent consideration.
Why Zoning Standards Matter
These protections exist to prevent established businesses and property owners from being unfairly displaced when zoning rules change. They should not become a mechanism for expanding uses that current zoning does not otherwise allow.
Before approving Sota Storage’s expansion, the council should establish whether the 2020 approval remains valid, whether previous conditions were satisfied, and what legal authority supports the proposed expansion.
The requested 2032 completion timeline only adds to those concerns.
East Bethel can support existing businesses while maintaining consistent zoning standards. Allowing a business to continue operating is one thing. Giving it permission to expand beyond today’s zoning requirements is another.
Read the October 12 City Council packet.
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