Storage unit regulation moves forward

After much discussion, the Mandeville Planning and Zoning Commission moved a proposed ordinance regulating temporary portable storage units to the City Council to be voted on and possibly passed into law. But the revised ordinance now includes additional structures.

Councilman Jerry Coogan first proposed the ordinance earlier this month after he received a number of complaints from local residents concerning some neighbors retaining the units on their properties for considerable lengths of time.

Coogan said he understands the residents’ concerns, admitting the storage devices are eyesores, ultimately inhibiting surrounding home values.

His ordinance was passed on to the Planning and Zoning Commission, where it underwent two meetings worth of scrutiny, finally being approved and passed back to the council.

The restructured ordinance now defines temporary portable storage units as any structure enclosed or open, wheeled or not, that is no more than 1,300 cubit feet in size. This includes the makeshift garages formed from temporary canopies.

The ordinance also states a permit must be acquired before obtaining a storage unit where it would then be allowed on the property for 30 days with the possibility of extending the permit, but not exceeding 90 days.

They also updated the first ordinance, which stated the unit must be placed five feet from the street, and the commission suggested changing that to force the applicant to place the unit as close to the house as practical.

Commission Chairman Nixon Adams made a motion that was followed by a unanimous vote to have it moved before the City Council for a vote.

The temporary portable storage units sprung into popularity during the rebuilding stage after Katrina. The units are boxed-shaped structures that provide security, regular accessibility and storage. They are shipped to the applicant’s house and left until the renter has it removed.