The Clay County Commission on Sept. 25 approved amendments to the land development code regulating intermodal shipping containers, reducing acreage requirements and adding setback, height and screening rules after public comment and an amendment from commissioners.

Kip Jones, Clay County planning director, told the commission the county had no code for shipping containers until 2020, and the earlier rule required parcels of 10 or more acres to place a container. "One of the biggest items is right now you have to have 10 plus acres to have a shipping container. The proposal from the planning and zoning commission would reduce that to 3 plus acres," Jones said, then summarized proposed setbacks, screening and a 10‑foot height limit measured from grade to container top.

Nut graf: The planning and zoning commission recommended loosening restrictions after hearing requests from residents; county commissioners debated inspection fees, paint rules and how many containers to allow on smaller parcels. After public comment and an amendment that removed a five‑year inspection requirement and the department approval requirement for paint color, the county adopted the ordinance as amended.

Under the revised approach presented to commissioners, setbacks would be reduced from the current 250 feet from side and rear property lines to 100 feet from the front property line and 50 feet from side and rear lines, containers must not sit forward of the front building line, and staff proposed screening so a container is at least 75 percent obscured from public view and adjacent properties. Jones said planning staff originally proposed a five‑year inspection for approved containers and a $90 inspection fee, but commissioners discussed removing that provision.

Residents who testified said many property owners bought containers to replace demolished outbuildings or for affordable, weatherproof storage. Nicole Paff, a resident, described acquiring a container after a previously built structure was found in a power easement: "We purchased a storage container... we were being charged with trespassing by the power company... I'm just looking for relief. I want it to be over with. This has been going on for 2 years. I'm tired." Other residents urged removal of the five‑year inspection and the paint‑approval mandate as unnecessary burdens.

Commissioner Kip Wagner (recorded in the motion as "Commissioner Wagner") moved an amendment that removed the planning department paint‑approval language and deleted the sentence requiring five‑year inspections at the resident's expense; the amendment also revised the allowed number of containers at lower acreage bands (for example, setting 0 to less than 5 acres to allow two containers under the amended table). The commission voted to adopt Ordinance 2025‑23 as amended; the motion passed 6–0.

Ending: County staff said the land development code will be revisited again as part of a larger code rewrite next year; commissioners urged residents to work with planning staff on siting and screening to avoid neighbor complaints.