City Passes Storage Container Ordinance

City Passes Storage Container Ordinance

At their April 9 meeting, Pierre City Commissioners heard, for the second time, a proposed ordinance for regulating shipping and storage container use, and they unanimously passed it.

"These containers are starting to pop up in residential areas, as well as commercial and industrial parts of the community," said Pierre Mayor Steve Harding. "We thought it important to set up parameters so the public is aware of how they could be used in the community."

In residential areas, those parameters limit container placement to six months; after that, the ordinance calls for the containers to be removed. There is an opportunity for a six-month extension.

Regardless of location, containers cannot be located on a boulevard, on a street, over a sidewalk, or in an alley. They cannot straddle lot lines. There are also requirements limiting visibility and presentation of containers.

In non-residential zones, the containers must meet all setback requirements, cannot be connected to utilities other than electricity, and cannot serve as the primary structure on a lot.

City Planner Emeline Hoblick says, "The ordinance is written with retroactive language and impacts containers currently located within city limits. We will work with those who have containers to help bring them into compliance."

The ordinance is effective the end of April.

The full ordinance can be viewed at CityofPierre.org.

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