Larimer commissioners approve Meadows at Prospect storage appeals on consent agenda

The Larimer County Board of County Commissioners voted Monday to approve the Meadows at Prospect Storage appeals as part of its public hearing consent agenda. The action cleared three code deviations for the proposed RV-and-boat storage project at 1700 SE Frontage Rd. in Fort Collins: use of TrueGrid permeable paving within the fenced storage area, and waivers from electric-vehicle and bicycle parking requirements, subject to staff-recommended conditions.

The appeals, filed as 26-GNRL0585, apply only to those code requests and do not approve the site plan itself. County staff said the underlying site plan for the Meadows at Prospect outdoor storage facility is being processed separately through administrative review, and that a separate parking modification and landscaping deviations were not part of the board's action.

The proposed project would place the storage use on about 16.8 acres of a vacant 48.25-acre parcel in the Timnath Growth Management Area. Staff described it as a secure self-storage facility for RVs, boats and similar vehicles with automated gated access and no on-site office or employees.

In recommending approval, staff found the appeals met county criteria and would not undermine the land-use code's purpose or harm public health, safety or property values. Staff said the TrueGrid system would still provide a stable, all-weather, load-bearing surface while improving stormwater infiltration and reducing fugitive dust, and that EV and bicycle parking requirements are aimed at uses with more meaningful commuter or visitor demand than this type of storage facility.

The approval carries conditions focused largely on the paving system. Inside the fenced storage area, the project must use the TrueGrid brand product and the TrueGrid ProPlus Commercial Permeable Paver model for internal drive aisles and storage areas. Installation must follow specified aggregate and stone infill standards intended to limit dust, and the system must be routinely maintained to address windblown dust, pooling stormwater, sediment buildup and other deterioration.

Additional conditions require completion of site plan review for File No. 25-ZONE3764 before any building permits are issued or the outdoor storage use begins. Before site plan approval, the applicant also must enter a development agreement with Larimer County covering the timing and responsibility for future on-site and off-site improvements.