Three specific storage containers are no longer permitted as permanent structures upon Blue Springs residential properties.
Blue Springs Planning Commission members voted 7-1 Monday to prohibit the items, which include wheeled trailers (or semi trailers), portable storage containers and roll-off trash containers.
The text amendment presented to the commission was not sudden; two city council members brought up the issue late last year, showing one example where a semi trailer had been placed in the backyard of a property and converted into a permanent storage structure.
City Council Member Ron Fowler brought up the issue, showing several photographs of one home whose driveway is crowded with what are described as portable storage containers.
Fowler had said the city cited the property owner for keeping the containers longer than permitted, while the second photograph is of what appeared to be a tractor-trailer placed on a slab of concrete and skirted, an item that he had said appears to be similar but not, according to the city’s code inspectors, in violation.
Both council members asked for more consistency in the city’s laws.
Commission member Ken Billups Jr. was the only person to vote against the change, expressing his concern that the city was changing policy based on one example.
“I’m not going to say it’s a bad law,” he said, “but it’s bad policy to make a rule based on what one person does.”
Scott Allen, director of Community Development, said he could not think of any other specific examples beyond the one given last year.
“I don’t know of any other data, but it’s a possibility,” Allen said.
Bob McDonald, the city’s attorney, said those storage facilities now prohibited that exist will be grandfathered and not subject to citations.
The vote was 7-1, with commission member Ken Billups Jr. voting against the issue. Commission members Allen Franklin, Susan Culpepper and Joe Haney were absent.
The issue will now go before the City Council next Tuesday.
