Steamboat Pilot & Today

Phippsburg — The old Texaco building in Phippsburg is one step closer to being torn down and replaced by a storage unit that the owner will build to complement the old structure.

The Routt County Regional Planning Commission gave a recommendation to approve the storage unit on Dec. 21. The owner of the land, Pauline Breyare, initially went in front of the commissioners in October. Among other issues, the commission directed her to solve a drainage problem that the property is causing with neighbors.

Jake Henry, who represented Breyare at the hearing last week, said a slope will be made on the property so the drainage would flow away from the neighbors, of which the commissioners approved.

The proposed building also does not meet the county setback requirements. Planning requirements call for a 50-foot setback, but the proposed building will have only a 25-foot setback.

Henry told the commission the storage unit would be too small with the 50-foot setbacks.

"We propose to build in the same footprint as the old building," he said.

The commissioners agreed and allowed the discrepancy. However, Breyare will have to go to the Routt County Board of Adjustments on Jan. 8 to show the county setbacks create a "hardship."

Assistant Planning Director Chad Phillips said he thought the setbacks created a hardship because the building would be too small.

The commissioners also waived the requirement to pave the sight, because most streets are not paved in Phippsburg.

Henry said pavement would attract children to roller skate in the area, which wouldn't be safe because there would not be an on-site manager at the storage unit.

So far, the mini storage unit would be a two-story, barnlike building 80 foot by 40 foot. It will have 20 small storage units on the upper floor and 14 larger ones on the ground level.

White siding and a green asphalt roof will make up the exterior of the building, just like the old Texaco building, Henry said.

"I feel that creatively, material wise, compatibility and blending into the community that you've done a really good job," Planning Commission Chairman Troy Brookshire said.

If the Board of Adjustment approves the plan, Breyare will take the recommendations to the Routt County Commissioners for approval at 3 p.m. on Jan. 9.