Working with the City Council for project approval Part 3

Even though you have had your neighborhood meeting and have alleviated a lot of the neighborhood’s concerns, there is always someone who is going to show up at the city council meeting to complain. Try to find a few neighbors who are on your side and ask them to come to the city council meeting to sell your project for you. It is always more convincing if someone else sells your project than if you do it yourself.

If the city council thinks that some of the neighborhood wants you to be there, you are more likely to get approval. You have hopefully convinced the neighbors that a self-storage facility is a great option, now you have to convince the council. When you go to the city council meeting make sure that you have a 3-D model of your project. You should also have color renderings. You want visuals to show them how nice this project is going to look.

If you speak for yourself, let them know that you are a great neighbor. Tell them about your limited operating hours and your contracts that prevent garage bands. Show them with your 3-D self-storage facility model and what a great buffer you make because you are quiet. Explain to them that when the residents are home in the evenings, you are closed so it will be very quiet.

When people think self-storage, they still think of the scariest, worst looking facilities out there. Show them that you are going to be a good fit for that location. You can also tell the city that you are a great source of taxable land value with almost no cost to the city. You use almost no water and sewer, just enough for the mandatory bathrooms, and you generate one third of the traffic that a residential development would.

Your architect should have the renderings and be able to help with the presentation, but you are the salesman, sell everyone on how great you and your project are and why they want it in this location. Don’t be afraid to sell them on the great self-storage facility that you want to build. You are a good alternative. As always, happy investing.