A plan to regulate the use of storage containers in Wellington North will be reconsidered after it drew concerns from several people, including local contractor Al Sharpe.
County planner Linda Redmond told council at its Jan. 28 meeting that changes to the township’s zoning bylaw, which are being considered as “housekeeping” revisions, should include updated regulations for containers.
The revisions were part of a public meeting in December and brought back last week for further consideration.
Redmond said new requirements are needed to regulate container use in the township, primarily in the rural areas.
“There is nothing to regulate where they go, what they’re used for,” the planner said. “It’s a bit of a loophole and we’re finding that (containers) has become a standard use around the county.
“This is a mechanism to regulate,” Redmond added.
She said the changes would allow the township to regulate container use through provisions in a revised bylaw.
“It would require a zoning amendment to ask permission to allow them [and] we would look at them case by case,” she said of the new regulations.
Redmond said the revised bylaw would not apply to existing containers which could be considered “legal, non-conforming.”
The containers, according to the planner, don’t meet current building standards.
The cost for a zoning amendment is about $1,500. It was the cost that concerned Sharpe, whose son Ryan operates Sligo Road Mini Storage at the corner of Sligo and Foster Street in Mount Forest.
Sharpe said the containers are necessary for the business because he cannot construct a building on the property because of a municipal drain on the site. There are currently six containers on the property with plans to put in 20 to 25 containers over the next several years to grow the business.
“I don’t know why we should pay $1,500,” he said of additional costs if the revised bylaw is adopted by council.
The issue was also raised by resident Gerald Shepetunko in a letter to council. He is a member of the township economic development committee.
“These items exist within the township, in numbers. They are primarily used outside the urban centres as a cost effective, safe and secure means of storage of a variety of goods,” Shepetunko said. “Very few, if any, create a visual impediment and are well within setback allowances.”
He acknowledged concerns by township officials that they do not meet local building standards.
“They are designed for safe and secure transportation and storage of goods in accordance with other government mandated standards and continue to be used in that manner.”
Councillor Dan Yake also expressed concern about the revised regulations.
“I think we’re going little bit overboard with this,” he said. “The storage trailers for sure we need to have some more discussion on to look at alternatives.”
It was decided to send the proposed changes back to the township’s building and property committee for further review.
Redmond also noted changes proposed on additions to modular homes will be discussed further and changes proposed for kennel operations were introduced because, if approved by council, they would impede the operation of five kennels in the township.
