Merrillville Plan Commission members were amenable Tuesday to a zoning change request at 9327 Broadway, but some expressed reservations about the planned use as a PODS rental/storage facility there.
Developer Edward Adler, representing TMG Acquisition, told the commission at a workshop session that he has an interested party for the 4.5-acre property.
He said empty PODS storage units would be located to the east of the building, stacked three-high for a total height of about 24 feet. He said this would be lower than the height of the building.
“We’ll do screening and berms if needed to screen the units,” Adler said.
Councilman Shawn Pettit, D-6th, had reservations about having the PODS business on Broadway. He said he would prefer it be located at 87th Avenue and Mississippi Street on property that Adler’s group also owns.
“What would you want to see on Broadway aesthetically,” Pettit asked fellow members.
Councilman Jeffrey Minchuk, D-3rd, who also sits on the commission, and commission member Brian Dering said they would also prefer it be located on Mississippi Street if the units can’t be covered from view.
“Storage containers, whether they’re a rusty bucket or a shiny penny, are still storage containers. They need to be covered,” Minchuk said.
Adler said the proposed owners would agree to the Mississippi Street location, as well, if necessary.
He said he couldn’t answer at this time questions on how many of the units would be located inside and outside the building, what condition the PODS would be in and how the owners would regulate what people store in them.
In other matters, Jarper Properties’ proposal to build 26 paired patio homes at U.S. 30 and Morton Street will move forward to the regular plan commission meeting on April 19 after the developers agreed to move trees in some cul de sacs to open up more visitor parking spaces.
The commission had no additional questions regarding CVP Development’s plans to build 11 more duplexes on almost 8 acres at 86th Avenue and Madison Street as a continuation of its Hunters Glen North subdivision, now called Villas on Madison at Hunters Glen. This project also will be heard at the April 19 meeting.
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
