The Ripon Planning Commission approved a mini-storage project on East Fourth Street last August.

The applicant for the Liberty Self Storage had inquired about the feasibility of Recreational Vehicle storage, in conjunction with the mini-storage project.

“At the time, staff informed (Liberty Self Storage) that the Ripon Municipal Code does not allow this in the M2 [Heavy Industrial] district,” said Planning Director Ken Zuidervaart at the May 15 meeting.

Getting a zoning text amendment could change that.

Construction on the project is scheduled to start soon.

Zuidervaart noted that staff received an application for a zoning text amendment from the mini-storage developer, requesting that indoor RV storage be allowed in this area.

“Staff analyzed the request and believed that RV storage, both indoor and outdoor, could be allowed in the M2 district with certain parameters, mainly limiting lot coverage to that of the underlying zoning district,” he said.

The maximum building coverage, percentage-wise, in Ripon for a Heavy Industrial site is 50 percent, according to Zuidervaart.

“RV storage could count towards the maximum lot coverage,” he added.

 The City’s definition of lot coverage percentages – per zoning district – is in place to prevent sites from overcrowding with RV storage, in turn, possibly affecting public safety responses to the site.

“To facilitate this standard, staff would recommend adding RV Storage definition to the City’s Use Classification System ordinance, outlining the parameters to such uses within the city,” said Zuidervaart.

Updating the Use Table in the Industrial Districts would reflect this as an allowable use in M2.

The location of Liberty Self-Storage plan also factors in.

The area of East Fourth Street is east of South Industrial Avenue and terminates at the railroad tracks and Highway 99.

The developer – Gus Schultz of SS Development – said that there would be no more traffic than usual. “The average person uses their RV once every few months,” he added.

Commissioners gave their OK on the amendment to the “Use Classification System Ordinance / Industrial District Ordinance,” based on the findings in the staff report.

They’ll forward the recommendation to the Ripon City Council.