Following a March 21 Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearing, the P&Z unanimously approved a set of zoning regulations intended to better regulate the use of outdoor temporary trailers and storage containers for construction projects and for relocations.

At the outset of the session, Rob Sibley, town deputy planning director, told P&Z members that the town’s zoning enforcement officer often receives complaints about unsightly storage containers being present for long periods on local properties. Such situations pose safety concerns and may damage nearby property values, he said.

“We’re trying to meet a lot of different needs all at once,” through the creation of new zoning rules, Mr Sibley said. He noted that the trailers/containers covered by the regulations are not to be used as dumpsters.

As part of their regulatory update, P&Z members deleted from the current zoning rules a brief section concerning “temporary trailers” and replaced it with detailed zoning regulations almost seven times as long.

The new regulations state that storage containers are self-contained units that do not have self-propulsion. Such containers may be made of metal or other materials. The maximum allowable size of such containers will be 1,440 cubic feet, based on maximum dimensions of 20 feet by 9 feet by 8 feet.

The new rules are intended to limit the time period that storage containers and trailers can be used on a given property, based on the needs of the applicant. The new rules seek to limit the devices’ impact on the character of a neighborhood and on its property values.

The new regulations allow the zoning enforcement officer to issue a temporary permit on the location and use of storage containers and trailers for holding products or building materials in commercial, industrial, residential, and multifamily zones. The rules apply to all local land use zones.

P&Z members approved a series of requirements for storage containers and trailers. The devices must be located to the rear or to the side of the principal building on a lot. The devices must not occupy or obstruct parking spaces or loading areas.

Also, each container or trailer that is used for storage or for construction-office space must have lockable doors. The devices must not contain hazardous materials or any dangerous goods. In addition, the devices must be maintained in a neat and orderly condition.

P&Z members decided that permits for the use of temporary trailers and storage containers will last for up to three months. Such permits may be repeatedly extended in time for construction projects, as needed, provided that permit-extension applications are submitted and the required fees are paid.

In cases involving the use of trailers or containers for a relocation, the maximum permit period will be nine months, which would require the issuance of three successive permits.

Fees Required

Under the new regulations, obtaining a three-month permit for a temporary trailer/storage container will carry a $100 fee. The applicant also will be required to place a deposit of $250 per trailer/container when the initial permit is issued. Under the terms of the new zoning rules, that deposit would be forfeited if any aspect of the permit is violated or if the time period of the permit is exceeded.

Violating the new rules on trailers/containers could result in permits being revoked or permit renewals being denied.

P&Z member Jim Swift, who served as acting chairman at the March 21 session, voiced concerns about an applicant needing to provide $350 to the town for an initial three-month permit and the deposit, adding that such fees might discourage people from seeking permits. Mr Sibley responded that the $250 deposit is refundable.

Mr Swift added that spending $300 for three successive permits for a relocation would be too expensive.

During the public comment section of the public hearing, Charles Zukowski of Cornfield Ridge Road asked to see a copy of the proposed new rules and asked whether the proposed rules had been available for public review at the Land Use Agency in Newtown Municipal Center before the public hearing. Mr Sibley said the rules proposal had been available for review at the Land Use Agency.

Mr Sibley said he reviewed comparable zoning regulations from other area towns before formulating the zoning rules proposal on trailers/containers for Newtown.

After learning that other P&Z members did not object to the costs to applicants for the use of temporary trailers/storage containers, Mr Swift said he would vote in favor of the new zoning regulations.

Voting in favor were Mr Swift, Barbara Manville, Corinne Cox, Roy Meadows, and David Rosen. The new rules take effect on April 13.