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Illinois Valley

Streator Plan Commission backs rezoning of Bridge Street storage

Self-storage site to match city zoning; council to decide next

Construction is underway on new self-storage buildings at 801 E. Bridge St. in Streator, part of an expansion and updated layout of the long-operating facility.

The Streator Plan Commission voted Tuesday to recommend rezoning a long-standing self-storage facility at 801 E. Bridge St. so it fully matches the city’s zoning code.

The property has housed storage units since the early 2000s, but it still is zoned R-1B Single-Family Residential. The commission voted to rezone it to C-3 General Commercial and also recommended approval of a special-use permit, which is required for storage facilities in that district.

City Engineer Jeremy Palm said the facility has operated without problems for some time and is surrounded by commercial or railroad uses, making the commercial zoning appropriate.

“This is the highest and best use for the site,” Palm said during the meeting.

He said the owner recently replaced aging units and wants the zoning brought into compliance so the property is no longer considered “legal nonconforming.”

Commissioners did briefly discuss how the new buildings sit closer to the road and look different than the old ones. Palm said the city may want to add clearer design or setback standards for storage facilities in the future.

Nobody from the public spoke during the hearing, and the applicant did not attend.

The recommendation now will go to the Streator City Council for final approval at its next meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at City Hall.

Bill Freskos

Bill Freskos is a multimedia journalist based in the Illinois Valley. He covers hard news, local government, sports, business enterprise, and politics while contributing to Shaw Local Radio stations for Shaw Media across La Salle, Bureau, and Putnam counties.