Steamboat Pilot & Today

Phippsburg — The old Texaco station in Phippsburg will become a new storage building.

Last week, Routt County commissioners approved the building of a mini-storage unit on the site where the old Texaco station sits today.

The building, which is being built by Phippsburg resident Pauline Breyare, will be a two-story, barn-like structure, 80 foot by 40 foot, located on the corner of Colorado 131 and Forest Street in Phippsburg.

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.

The plan was originally presented to the Routt County Regional Planning Commission in October.

The commissioners tabled the ruling on the building so the petitioner could make it more aesthetically pleasing and to address drainage problems.

Those concerns resulted in the barn design.

Jake Henry, who represents Breyare, said the site also would be raised and a slope created to solve some of the drainage problems.

"I think the drainage will be improved all around the property," Henry said.

Instead of the water pooling on one corner of the property, and on adjacent properties, it will be directed to a drainage ditch.

Commissioners agreed that it was a good plan.

The mini-storage does not meet the county setback requirements. Planning requirements call for a 50-foot setback, but the building will have 25-foot setbacks. Henry told the Planning Commission last month the storage unit would be too small with the 50-foot setbacks.

The Planning Commission agreed and recommended the building for approval if it passed through the Routt County Board of Adjustments, which had to approve the nonconforming setbacks.

On Monday, the board approved the setbacks unanimously, Routt County Assistant Planning Director Chad Phillips told the county commission. The Routt County Commission approved the site plan and the special-use permit for the storage unit unanimously with one discrepancy.

According to the conditions sent to the county commissioners by the Planning Commission, a "children at play" street sign was to be placed in the alley behind the storage unit.

County Commissioner Nancy Stahoviak said though the sign is meant to protect children, it may invite them to play in the area.

Right now, the alley is not maintained and has grass on it.

"The kids shouldn't be playing at this site in the first place," she said.

Henry said construction for the site could start in the spring.

When built, there will be no outdoor storage at the property and no overnight parking, unless the vehicle is in one of the storage units.