CREJ

Page 26 — Office & Industrial Quarterly — December 2021 www.crej.com INDUSTRIAL — OUTDOOR STORAGE A dams County first proposed a change to zoning lan- guage that would restrict the amount of outside stor- age allowed in unincorpo- rated areas within the county in June, causing major concern among industrial property owners whose business models rely on yard stor- age. The county was due to vote on the change in November, but the vote was delayed, thanks to the newly formed Industrial Prop- erty Owners Consortium of Adams County, more commonly referred to as IPOC. IPOC was created by local indus- trial property owners – many of whom have been operating within Adams County for decades – as a direct result of the proposed zoning changes, and the movement quickly gained momentum, with over 160 businesses joining the consortium. IPOC’s main aim was to better edu- cate Adams County officials on the impact the changes would have on local industrial users ahead of the vote in November. To that end, IPOC held a meeting in September and invited the staff of the Adams County Board of Commissioners to hear the owners’ concerns. The meeting prompted the Adams County Board of Commissioners to take an informal survey among its members regarding the issue in October, and after 80% voted in favor of further investigation sur- rounding the change, the board ulti- mately decided to delay the zoning vote until early 2022. The Adams County board also promised to host several study ses- sions on the topic, the first of which is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2022. Though the issue of outside stor- age restrictions remains a poten- tial roadblock to industrial users in Adams County pending the final decision in 2022, the delayed vote remains a victory for IPOC and has many positive implications for the future. The outcome of the meeting in Adams County served as a proof of concept for the consortium’s ability to pro- vide a unified voice for industrial property owners and demonstrated the impact IPOC could have not only in Adams County but also in municipalities across the Front Range. To this end, IPOC recently regis- tered as an official 501(c)(6) organi- zation and elected a board of direc- tors. While IPOC initially formed in response to challenges in Adams County, the organization now seeks to be a resource for municipalities across the greater Denver area to better understand the industrial users within their communities and the value they provide. While the formation of IPOC remains a positive step in improv- ing communication between indus- trial users and the municipalities they operate within, the circum- stances under which the organiza- tion was formed also are indicative of a broader issue which the indus- trial sector has faced in the wake of Denver’s exponential growth over the last decade. Despite the key role that industrial real estate plays in enabling economic growth, whether it be manufacturing plants or last- mile logistics facilities, the indus- trial product type often has faced opposition from local communities displeased with the aesthetic and environmental impacts of industrial buildings. The proposed zoning change in Adams County is a perfect example of this issue in action. In addition to reducing the percentage of out- side storage permitted on a build- ing’s lot, the proposal also calls for required screen fencing “to conceal outside storage from all adjacent road right of way,” indicating that the objection to outside storage is based at least in part on its negative visual impact. However, this perception that industrial real estate – particularly for heavy/manufacturing use – has a negative impact on a community’s value also demonstrates why an organization like IPOC is so critical. In his address to the Adams County Board of Commissioners in Septem- Zoning changes prompt new owner consortium Ryan Searle Director, Cushman & Wakefield Brannan Cos. Industrial Property Owners Consortium of Adams County, more commonly referred to as IPOC, was created by local industrial property owners as a direct result of the proposed zoning changes that would restrict the amount of outside storage allowed in unincorporated areas within the county. Please see Searle, Page 31