The Janesville Plan Commission rejects the first formal proposal to redevelop the former Shopko site on Highway 14/Humes Road.
It voted unanimously Monday night to deny a conditional use permit for True Storage to convert the former retail space into self-storage units.
The $8 million proposal would have updated the façade of the property and provided its first occupant in two years.
Janesville senior planner Brian Schweigl told the commission the request did not meet the requirements for conditional use in part because of the impact on surrounding properties and businesses.
Schweigl said the success of nearby businesses is predicated on a high volume of traffic coming through the property, and the self-storage use would have a significantly lesser impact than other potential commercial uses.
Representatives of adjacent businesses including Ashley Furniture and Anytime Fitness wrote letters to the commission stating that self-storage use in that property could lead them to close their businesses.
Josh Sullivan from True Storage responded, noting that the storage project would be better for businesses than the building continuing to sit empty.
