The Marshall County Commissioners reviewed an ordinance amendment Monday morning concerning shipping containers.
Plan Director Ty Adley explained that the amendment would allow shipping containers as accessory structures in certain areas in the county.
“Shipping containers would be permitted within zoning districts A1, C1, C2, I1, and I2 – the main agricultural district, both commercial districts as well as the two industrial districts,” said Adley. “What it would allow for is one shipping container regardless of the parcel’s size so no minimum acreage size is required. The shipping container itself must be maintained as the same color as an adjacent structure and kept in good repair.”
Additionally, Adley said a second container is permissible for lots greater than five acres for cold storage only.
Commissioner Stan Klotz made points about placement of shipping containers on properties and the grandfathering of existing containers. Commission President Kevin Overmyer noted that there are some properties that have more than two shipping containers on a property.
Adley responded saying that grandfathering is up for debate of whether or not containers were permitted prior to the ordinance amendment.
During the public hearing on this topic, Marshall County Firefighters Association President John Grolich pointed to the seven shipping containers at the Marshall County Correctional Facility used for training purposes which may not be in compliance with the ordinance. While those containers may be an exception since it is an existing training purpose, Grolich said language should be clear about that in the ordinance. Adley said it would be under the city’s jurisdiction and not necessarily in the county’s jurisdiction
Building Commissioner Steve Howard stated that he was approached by a man who wants to design a container home and Howard did not know how that would comply with ordinance.
Howard stated, “He’ll have to get it designed and it’ll have to be approved through an architect in order to do something like that. He said they have multiple containers stacked in different formations to do a container home. The outside would be done in a siding or something like that, but the actual structure itself would be made of containers. It’s a popular thing in other places, but I know we haven’t seen any here in Marshall County.”
County Attorney Jim Clevenger said this ordinance talks about shipping containers for the purpose for cold storage, but language could be included to clarify that.
The commissioners agreed to approve the first reading of the ordinance and get more questions answered before the next meeting when the second reading is up for consideration.
