Cogan Plaza Self-Storage on Planning & Zoning Agenda
The Oct. 1 Palm Bay Planning & Zoning meeting will focus on the proposed Cogan Plaza Self-Storage in Bayside Lakes, the only active item on the agenda.
Palm Bay, FL – When the Planning and Zoning Board meets on Wednesday, October 1, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 120 Malabar Road SE, the spotlight will fall on a single project: Cogan Plaza Self-Storage at Bayside Lakes.
Why Only One Item on the Agenda
Four other land use cases – the Sankofa Green View and Sankofa Oasis amendments and rezonings – have been postponed until November 5. According to the city, the required public notice signage was not properly posted. Without proper signage, the board cannot hear the cases. Those items are now scheduled for the November meeting and will go before City Council later in the month.
What’s Being Proposed
The applicants, Palm Bay Medical Office Corporation and Brevard Medical Care LLC, are seeking approval of a Preliminary Development Plan to allow a self-storage facility on a 6.57-acre parcel along Cogan Drive SE, just south of Bayside Lakes Boulevard. The site is part of the Bayside Lakes Commercial Center, originally planned for medical and professional offices.
Background and Procedural Context
The project comes less than a year after Palm Bay City Council rejected an earlier self-storage request for this site in December 2024. At that time, Council cited concerns that self-storage did not generate jobs or align with the Comprehensive Plan’s goal of promoting employment and neighborhood services.
The current application is being heard again because staff determined the 2024 denial was processed under the wrong mechanism — a PUD agreement instead of the required Preliminary Development Plan. Palm Bay Code §51.05 allows reconsideration within 12 months when a mistake or procedural error occurred. This correction gives the applicant a valid path to return before Council. In addition, the applicant has submitted updated declarations and a development plan that could include job‑creating uses alongside storage, which may be treated as a substantial change to the prior request.
Staff Reviews and Concerns
City staff and agencies provided the following feedback:
Fire Department: No objections; compliance with fire code, road width, and access is required.
Stormwater (MTWCD): Site is out of compliance with runoff requirements and may require additional storage capacity.
Police (CPTED): Recommended measures include LED lighting, trimmed landscaping, and see-through fencing to improve safety.
Public Works: Requires permits for drainage, water line extensions, and traffic impact fees. Inspection fees and maintenance bonds will also be necessary.
Utilities: No objections, but all water and sewer connections must be built at the developer’s expense.
Public Opposition
At least one resident has raised objections, focusing on traffic safety and the growing number of storage facilities in the Bayside Lakes area. Thomas Westfall, who lives across from the site, wrote that there are already two storage facilities within walking distance and questioned the need for more. He also warned that “Cogan is already a racetrack,” raising concerns about traffic safety.
At the October 1 meeting, any member of the public will have the opportunity to speak for or against the proposal during the hearing.
Next Steps
The Planning & Zoning Board will make a recommendation on October 1, but the City Council has the final say. If approved, the developer must still complete a detailed site plan review before construction can begin.
