Residents ask town to stuff self-storage facilities

With a public hearing scheduled for Feb. 18, a group of Carmel residents is asking town planners to approve a moratorium banning the construction of new self-storage facilities after the most recent to be constructed – an Extra Space Storage on the site of the former Mahopac Farm on Baldwin Place Road – brought the number to five in Mahopac alone, with additional facilities in the Carmel hamlet. 

Organizers are hoping the moratorium will both discourage the building of new facilities and encourage owners of open spaces to use the land for other activities, including a proposed farm-to-table education project on still-undeveloped land at the Mahopac Farm site, which now houses one of two Extra Space Storage facilities within a mile (106 Route 6 and 5 Lupi Court) along the Route 6 corridor in Mahopac. 

A change.org petition asking the Town Board to issue a moratorium on new self-storage facilities has received more than 350 signatures so far. 

While not a permanent ban, the moratorium would temporarily pause development and allow town officials to evaluate zoning, land-use impacts, infrastructure strain and community priorities. 

“Given the scale of recently approved and proposed self-storage developments, we believe such a pause is both prudent and necessary,” organizers said. “The adoption of a moratorium would provide the town with an opportunity to thoughtfully consider alternative uses for remaining open land that better align with Carmel’s long-term goals, including agriculture, environmental stewardship, education and community-centered development.” 

It is unclear whether the Atlanta-based Diamond Point Development, which is leasing the first unit to Extra Space Storage, is planning to build a second unit at the former Mahopac Farm site at 106 Route 6. 

Fable Farms has been in negotiations with Diamond Point to buy the undeveloped land behind the existing facility to create a working farm, farmers market and educational center, but those discussions remain in limbo. The town of Carmel is also interested in buying a portion of the land for a stormwater learning center that would work in conjunction with Fable Farms. 

Town Supervisor Michael Cazzari noted that even with a moratorium, approved projects would be able to go forward. 

"The moratorium would not affect existing storage facilities or anything already in the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals process," Cazzari said.

While supporters of the moratorium argue that self-storage facilities harm the environment, generate few jobs and siphon money out of the local economy because of out-of-town corporate ownership, town officials said such developments can provide economic benefits in other ways.

"Self-storage facilities bring in more property taxes than vacant land, do not use water or sewer, and do not increase school enrollment," Cazzari said. "But I prefer the farm. I wanted it before [the previous Mahopac Farm owners] sold it to self-storage company. I’ve spoken to the developer that owns adjacent property about the town having a piece of property to connect to the farm so that we can partner with Fable."

Cazzari said there are 300 acres of undeveloped land connected to the old Mahopac Farm that could be used for both commercial and community purposes.

The Town Board has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed moratorium for Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m., at Town Hall (60 McAlpin Ave.). 

Organizers of the change.org petition write that community-beneficial uses for the land would include “recreational centers, farms, public parks and local retail hubs that enhance quality of life and promote sustainable economic growth.” 

“By signing this petition, we urge the Town Board of Carmel to adopt a town-wide moratorium on new self-storage facilities and use that time to carefully evaluate land-use policies that prioritize open space, agriculture and long-term community benefit,” organizers said.