Springfield, Michigan, is considering a draft zoning ordinance that would prohibit new mini-warehouse and self-storage facilities citywide and reclassify existing sites as nonconforming uses, per WWMT reporting on August 24-25, 2026. West Dickman Road Self Storage co-owners Brett Long and Chip Spranger, who have operated about 500 units across two locations for more than 25 years, said the change could block expansion on IRT-zoned land they recently purchased.
City Manager Aaron Edlefson told WWMT the draft remains unfinished and he is recommending the planning commission table its recommendation to council. A public hearing was scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
What Does the Proposed Springfield Ordinance Change?
The draft amendment would reverse a land-use framework that currently permits mini-warehouse and self-storage facilities in Springfield's Industrial/Research/Technology, or IRT, district.
| Current rule | Proposed change |
|---|---|
| Mini-warehouse/self-storage permitted in IRT district | No new facilities in any district |
| Existing sites operate as permitted uses | Existing sites become nonconforming uses |
| Special land use available in IRT | Special land use eliminated for storage |
The proposed language states: "No new mini-warehouse/self-storage facilities shall be permitted or allowed as a special land use in any district."
WWMT published a city map showing IRT districts in purple where storage is currently allowed. Long and Spranger said they purchased property in that zone specifically to expand a business that already holds certificates of occupancy and has operated compliantly for 25 years.
Long told WWMT:
First off we build them in correct zoning, we've got all the permitting, we got a certificate of occupancy, we've been operating for 25 years.
Under nonconforming status, expansion, rebuilding after severe damage, and future sale value become uncertain. Long said investors buy for future profits, not for assets that cannot be rebuilt if something goes wrong.
Why Are Long and Spranger Fighting the Draft?
The co-owners operate West Dickman Road Self Storage with roughly 500 units at two Springfield locations. They recently bought additional IRT-zoned property to expand.
Spranger said the proposed ban would make that expansion impossible:
That would mean we could not expand at those locations.
The business case is straightforward. Fixed costs including taxes and insurance continue whether or not the operator can add rentable units. Long said limiting expansion means the same bills without the revenue growth that justifies the investment.
Spranger previously served on the Springfield city council and planning commission. He told WWMT it is highly unusual that city officials have not publicly explained why the ban is needed or what benefit it provides residents.
We just want answers. Why would this be brought up? Why are you banning storage units? It's going to hurt the citizens of Springfield.
WWMT reviewed city meeting records and video but did not find a public explanation for the proposal as of August 24, 2026.
Does Michigan Law Allow a Total Self-Storage Ban?
Michigan's Zoning Enabling Act creates a potential legal hurdle for outright prohibitions.
Michigan Compiled Law 125.3207 states that a zoning ordinance generally cannot totally prohibit the establishment of a land use when there is demonstrated need within the local unit or surrounding area, unless no appropriate location exists or the use is unlawful.
WWMT asked Edlefson what legal analysis the city conducted. He replied:
Our legal counsel has reviewed the elements of MCL 125.3207 considering the proposed ordinance and we have found the ordinance to be in compliance.
That statement does not end the debate. Operators facing nonconforming status often challenge whether a city adequately documented unmet need and available alternative sites before banning a use entirely. Springfield's draft is still unpublished in final form, so the factual record supporting counsel's conclusion is not yet public.
Edlefson also emphasized the ordinance is a draft and said he is recommending the planning commission table its recommendation to council. That procedural pause matters for developers and owners watching whether Michigan joins the national ordinance wave with a permanent ban rather than a temporary moratorium.
How Does Springfield Fit the 2026 Self-Storage Zoning Wave?
Local governments across the U.S. spent 2026 restricting where self-storage can be built. The methods differ:
| Jurisdiction | Action | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| New Windsor, NY | Enacted Aug. 20, 2026 | Six-month moratorium on storage, warehouses, distribution |
| Atlanta, GA | July 2026 | 180-day moratorium; special-use permit process proposed |
| Elk Grove, CA | August 2026 | Planning commission recommended indefinite moratorium |
| Springfield, MI | Draft Aug. 2026 | Permanent prohibition; existing sites nonconforming |
Atlanta's moratorium paused permits while the city council considers a special-use permit framework. Elk Grove's proposal would stop new development indefinitely while officials decide on a permanent ban or stricter standards.
Springfield's draft goes further: it would remove storage as a permitted or special use everywhere and grandfather existing operators into nonconforming status with limited expansion rights. That is closer to the industrial-only relocation model used in Chicago and Rockford, Illinois, than to a six-month planning pause.
For operators and developers, the distinction matters. A moratorium has an expiration date and often exempts projects with final approval. A nonconforming reclassification can cap value indefinitely and complicate insurance, lending, and sale underwriting.
What Happens Next in Springfield?
The Springfield City Council voted in July 2026 to direct the Planning Commission to consider the zoning amendment and hold a public hearing. That hearing was set for August 24, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at city hall.
Long and Spranger said they want to work with the city but believe fairness requires protecting businesses that followed existing zoning, permitting, and occupancy rules.
We want to work with the city and we always have. But there's got to be some fairness about the existing owners of all businesses that if they purchase and follow all the rules, correct zoning, permitting, they're operating correctly, that they just can say, okay, no longer you can continue to operate if something happens or expand.
If the planning commission tables the recommendation, as Edlefson suggested, the draft returns for more revision before council action. If the ban advances, expect operators to scrutinize the city's demonstrated-need analysis under MCL 125.3207 and the economic impact on existing IRT-zoned businesses.
The Numbers Worth Writing Down
- Public hearing date: August 24, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
- Affected operator: West Dickman Road Self Storage
- Co-owners: Brett Long and Chip Spranger
- Operating history: 25+ years in Springfield
- Current unit count: About 500 units at two locations
- Current permitted zone: Industrial/Research/Technology (IRT) district
- Proposed status for existing sites: Nonconforming use
- New facilities under draft: Prohibited in all districts
- Michigan statute cited: MCL 125.3207 (Zoning Enabling Act)
- City manager position: Recommends tabling; draft not final
Bans Hit Different Than Moratoriums
Springfield's draft is not another six-month pause while planners rewrite a comprehensive plan. It is a structural removal of self-storage from the allowed-use list, with existing operators pushed into nonconforming status and expansion land already purchased in the IRT district potentially stranded.
The 2026 ordinance wave was already reshaping development pipelines from Cashmere, Washington to the Hudson Valley. Springfield shows the wave's sharper edge: cities that do not just delay storage, but try to legislate it out of the zoning code entirely.
Operators who built legally, hold certificates of occupancy, and bought expansion parcels under current rules are now the test case for whether Michigan municipalities can ban an entire asset class without paying for the economic damage left behind.
Sources
- Proposed Springfield zoning ban could block self-storage expansion, cut business value, WWMT NewsChannel 3, August 24-25, 2026
- New Windsor NY Self-Storage Moratorium Enacted August 2026, Your Ciao News
- Atlanta City Council 180-Day Storage Moratorium, Your Ciao News
- Elk Grove Self-Storage Citywide Moratorium, Your Ciao News
- Michigan Compiled Law 125.3207, Michigan Zoning Enabling Act