TACOMA, Wash. — Signs opposing a CubeSmart Storage development are on the lawns of just about every home in the Murry March neighborhood in central Tacoma. Ask almost about anyone living here what they think of the proposed business and they'll tell you they don't want it there.
“It’s going to be quite a massive building that they’re proposing to put up and we’d like to prevent that,” Lucy Collier said. “And we’ve seen what it’s supposed to look like and no, not for us,” Rebecca Kayser said.
CubeSmart franchises are large, multistory automated storage yards with locations nationwide. The development at the corner of South 19th and Lawrence is the work of Taipei-based Pacific Northwest Development. Pacific Northwest Development bought up several dilapidated houses adjacent to 19th Street, then approached the city for a permit to build a CubeSmart franchise.
Opponents say the storage business violates codes, covenants and restrictions for the Murry March neighborhood that limit development to homes and residences. Developers can get a variance if the public doesn't object. Now the public is objecting.
Scroll down to continue reading
More news from KIRO 7
“It’s most of the neighborhood,” said Jamie Hill, one of the residents organizing opposition to the project. Hill said residents weren't able to raise objections before it was approved by the city because no one was notified about the planned development.
“We have to be notified via our neighborhood council, who would notify us and then we can talk about it, have our comment period,” Hill said. “Also there’s supposed to be job site signage and those are both mandated and neither of those things happened.”
Tacoma City Council member Keith Blocker, who represents the neighborhood, released a statement Friday in support of residents: “Although the proposed storage facility abides by the rules currently detailed in our code, and staff has proceeded with notifications as the code directed, this project is not consistent with the vision of the Council or the neighborhood.”
The plan is already embroiled in a lawsuit.
The Murry March neighborhood is experiencing a time of increasing home values and becoming more attractive to families and first-time homeowners. Residents say a commercial operation the size of CubeSmart doesn't belong here.
“If we can keep the CubeSmart storage building to a more commercial area, that’s what I’d prefer,” Collier said.