A complex of 153 or 268 storage units might be built this year overlooking the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers in Clarkston.

The units would go on about 21/2 acres east of Costco and an office complex on Fair Street, said Jerry Cox, who owns the land.

"I'm evaluating it," he said. "I haven't gotten close to pulling the trigger."

The vacant land is zoned service commercial, a designation where storage units are permitted, said Clarkston Public Works Director James Martin.

The project would have to go through a state Environmental Policy Act review, something that usually takes about six to eight weeks.

Such reviews are required for any building larger than 12,000 square feet, Martin said. Cox has floated two concepts, a 153-unit complex with 18,550 square feet and a 268-unit complex with 36,400 square feet.

The process would begin with Cox submitting a lengthy form detailing his ideas to the city of Clarkston, something Martin said Cox hasn't done yet.

The city could then accept the proposal as is, impose additional requirements to mitigate potential effects or decide if it needs to go through an environmental impact study.

Then the city would seek comments to make its final decision, Martin said. Those that would be consulted include the Nez Perce Tribe, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Asotin County Health District. The Washington departments of ecology, transportation and fish and wildlife would also be consulted.

One organization that may weigh in on the matter is the Port of Clarkston. Port commissioners discussed the issue Thursday with Port Manager Wanda Keefer, noting the storage units would enjoy one of the best views of the confluence.

The commissioners are considering taking a look a the port's riverfront master plan, but made no decision Thursday since they lacked confirmation that Cox was considering storage units.

As it stands now, the plan's only reference to storage units relates to an existing tenant, Clarkston Rent-a-Space, Keefer wrote in an email. The current plan recommends not extending that business' lease when it expires in 2026.

"The business is not riverfront dependent, and storage space is available elsewhere," Keefer wrote. "While this facility is well-kept ... there is a higher and better use of the unique property."

Cox has explored putting storage units on the property only after a number of other ideas had been explored and exhausted.

"I'd be willing to sell it to someone if they were willing to buy it," said Cox, a developer who used to live in Clarkston and now splits his time between Meridian and Phoenix.

Cox purchased the property in 2007 and considered townhomes before the real estate market tanked. An office complex, medical office and apartments have also been considered. Cox already owns the office complex on an adjacent property.

Each one of those ideas have been ruled out, largely because of how much traffic they would create in an already frequently congested area by Costco, Walmart and Albertsons.

A 60-unit apartment complex was estimated to generate 400 to 500 more car trips a day, while an office complex was forecast to create about 300 additional vehicle trips each day, Cox said. The storage units are expected to boost daily car trips by 15 or 20.

If he moves forward, Cox said he will take great care to make the storage units look nice.

"I'm not putting anything unappealing in my front yard," he said. "My tenants are going to have to look at it."

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Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.