City of Merrill building inspector sets the record straight
TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
In the August 26 edition of the Foto News, the article entitled “Merrill City Plan Public Hearing considers ban on storage containers” wasn’t researched thoroughly enough. Merrill’s City Building Inspector, Darin Pagel, called to set the record straight.
He referred to Sec. 113-38. – Residential district regulations—R-I through R-V, subsection (l) Single-family detached- and two-family attached dwelling—Minimum standards, of the existing City of Merrill Zoning Ordinance, which already sets standards for residential home building. Such minimum standards already would prohibit building a home within the City limits from storage containers, he said.
Temporary use for residential storage further clarified
The proposed ordinance, which is the subject of the Sept. 7 public hearing before Merrill’s City Plan Commission “is an attempt to clarify” permitted usage of storage containers, Pagel said.
He emphasized the following particular language within the proposed ordinance change, saying the ordinance is not banning the use of storage containers altogether:
“Shipping Containers, semi trailers, or similar structures are prohibited in Residential Districts or residential use properties. A special exception may be given by the Zoning Administrator for storage purposes for moving or permitted property renovation for a maximum of 30 days. The Zoning Administrator may extend the timeframe upon request of the property owner for special circumstances.”
Accordingly, “Any person or business that intends to place a shipping container, semi trailer, or similar structure on a property must register it with the zoning department prior to such placement and pay the applicable fees.”
A public hearing to consider the proposed zoning ordinance amendment will be held at Merrill City Hall Council Chambers on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 6:00 p.m. Remote attendance is also permitted. To attend remotely, call 413.357.2122 and use meeting PIN 316 153 509 #.