An Atlanta-based developer is looking to put a five-story, climate-controlled self-storage facility on the site of the former McDonald's restaurant on Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard near Vulcan Park in Birmingham.

That was, at least, until the Birmingham Zoning Board of Adjustments on Thursday denied the developer's request for a variance for shorter setbacks along Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard and 20th Avenue South.

The developer, Brooks Lumpkin, also sought permission to reduce a landscape buffer between the property and the residential neighborhood behind it by about a foot.

Lumpkin's attorney John Pickering, of Balch & Bingham, explained that his client sought the variance to expand the footprint of his proposed self-storage facility in order to keep the building's height at 50 feet and 5 stories, rather than 75 feet and 7 stories.

Ten parking spaces were proposed for under the building.

The McDonald's closed in February 2016. The restaurant company never disclosed why the location shuttered.

Residents of the adjacent Redmont neighborhood spoke out against the development. Birmingham planning and zoning staff also recommended denial of the variance saying the developer's hardship was self-imposed and not due to constraints of the property.

Nearby resident Don Long said the proposed 75,408-square-foot building is too large for the former McDonald's site.

Another neighborhood resident Bill Mudd said it isn't appropriate to locate a self-storage building adjacent to Vulcan, a symbol of the city of Birmingham.

No one wants to live next door to a 7, 6 or 5-story building, he added.

Though the variance was denied, self-storage is an allowed usage for the property under the current zoning, B2-General Business District. The maximum height for a building in this zoning is 75 feet.

It's unclear, though, if Lumpkin is going to move ahead with the project.

According to Pickering, Lumpkin has the property under contract from McDonald's Corp. The sale was expected to close in less than two weeks.

Neither Lumpkin nor Pickering immediately returned messages from AL.com seeking comment after the hearing.

The Jefferson County Property Assessor has the property valued at $945,840. The market value of the land alone is $572,540 and the restaurant building and other improvements at $373,300.