The New Franklin Board of Aldermen unanimously granted a zoning variance and permission to obtain a building permit to Larry Kempf so that he may add an additional building to his storage unit business. 

The decision came during the regular monthly meeting of the city council on Dec. 21.

Mr. Kempf is the owner of New Franklin Storage on Missouri St. He asked the council during its November meeting to issue a building permit so he may add an additional 30-feet by 50-feet building. The council not only declined to act on the request, members did not engage in any discussion on the matter.

Ward 2 Aldermen John James on Monday apologized to Mr. Kempf for the council’s inaction last month. “I apologize for myself and the council for not having any discussion last meeting. And there should have been,” he said.

An issue with allowing the construction of a new building on the site is its proximity to a historical monument. However, Mr. Kempf has met with members of the South Howard County Historical Society and the two parties have come to an agreement on the matter. The building will be erected at least 100 feet from the memorial.

The last time Mr. Kempf requested a zoning variance to add on to his storage business, the city granted permission for it, as well as future buildings. However, in what seemed to eliminate any interpretative differences in the language of that permission, the council unanimously approved an additional zoning variance for this new building.

This will be the third building of units for New Franklin Storage. Mr. Kempf noted that this would likely be the last building he plans to erect on the site.