Outdoor Storage, Trailer Parking and Yard Space in Industrial Leases

Why it is not automatic

• A suite lease grants you the interior. Exterior areas, including the parking lot, drive aisles and any yard, are typically common areas the landlord controls and the other tenants share.
• Zoning and site plan. The municipality approved the site for a certain amount of parking and a certain appearance. Outdoor storage often triggers screening requirements, surface requirements or a separate approval. A landlord who lets you store outside without checking can create a violation on their own property.
• The other tenants. Parking counts are finite. One tenant storing trailers in twelve spaces takes them from everyone else.
• Liability and environment. Materials stored outside can leak, run off into storm drains or create a hazard. That exposure lands on the property.

What usually gets approved, and what usually does not

• Frequently approved with written consent: overnight parking of a limited number of company vehicles; a dumpster or enclosure in a designated location; seasonal equipment for a defined period; a small number of trailers in designated spaces.
• Harder: open storage of materials, pallets or inventory; unregistered or inoperable vehicles; anything visible that changes the property's appearance; anything requiring a surface or screening the site does not have.
• Usually refused: storage of hazardous or regulated materials outside; anything blocking drive aisles, fire lanes or another tenant's door; open-ended use of undesignated space.

How to get it, without paying for it twice

• Raise it at letter of intent stage. Cheap here, expensive or refused later.
• Be specific. "Four trailers in four designated spaces" is approvable. "Some outdoor storage" is not.
• Ask who confirms zoning. Landlord approval does not equal municipal approval, and you need both.
• Get it in the lease, not in an email. Designated location, quantity, duration, and who may revoke it.
• Ask what insurance is required. Exterior use often triggers additional coverage.
• Ask about snow. A yard area that needs clearing in a Michigan winter raises the question of who clears it and who pays.

If you cannot get it

Lease slightly more interior square footage and bring the storage inside, which is often cheaper than it sounds once you compare it to a separate yard lease. Rent trailer parking separately from a nearby operator. Or look for a property with a designated fenced yard, accepting that this is a smaller and more expensive category of building.

At our properties

Outdoor storage, trailer parking and overnight vehicle parking are not automatically included with a suite at Rankin Business Park. Any exterior use requires prior written approval and must comply with property rules and local zoning. Tell us specifically what you need to put outside and for how long, and we will give you a straight answer rather than a maybe.

Z Novi Commons includes free overnight parking of company vehicles for tenants, which is unusual and worth knowing if you run a service fleet.

Frequently asked questions