Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pacific aldermen pause cargo-container ordinance change, instruct staff to consult US Silica
Summary
The Board of Aldermen voted to hold off sending changes to the city's cargo-container ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Commission and directed staff to talk with US Silica about rezoning options and a possible map amendment. Enforcement status and potential rezoning were central to the debate.
The Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to delay any formal change to the city's cargo-container ordinance and asked staff to begin direct discussions with US Silica about whether the company would apply for a zoning map amendment.
The move came after a lengthy mayoral report and discussion about whether to allow cargo containers in commercial zones, how to treat businesses that previously removed containers to comply with the current prohibition, and whether a property-specific rezoning would be appropriate. Mayor Felley said the current ordinance prohibits cargo containers in commercial and residential zones and noted the city previously provided a two-year amortization period for compliance. "I can't think of any recourse, just simply because the the the ordinance prohibits," City Attorney Jones said when asked whether owners who removed containers could receive compensation if the city later relaxed the rule.
The board discussed an alternative that would let a large industrial property apply for rezoning to a manufacturing classification rather than changing the ordinance citywide. Alderman Madrigal and Alderman Meadows both said rezoning the silica site to a manufacturing designation and having US Silica be the applicant would be a cleaner approach than amending the general cargo-container prohibition. "We could certainly do that," Attorney Jones said of a site-specific map amendment, while warning the board to assess any nonconformities the change might create for future development.
A motion by Alderman Cleave, seconded by Alderman Madrigal, instructed city staff not to send the cargo-container change back to the Planning and Zoning Commission at this time and to contact US Silica about whether the company would pursue a rezoning application. The motion passed on a voice vote; the board did not conduct a roll-call tally.
Council members also discussed enforcement. Some aldermen asked whether enforcement should resume immediately; others noted the city had previously ceased enforcement and distributed 60-day compliance notices late last year. Mayor Felley said those notices went out near the end of the year and that adverse winter conditions may have hindered timely removal for some property owners. Attorney Jones described the stated penalty in the municipal code for violations as up to $1,000 or 90 days' incarceration but said the court would be unlikely to impose jail time, and that daily fines could be assessed if charged that way.
The board agreed to wait for the result of staff discussions with US Silica before returning any ordinance changes to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Mayor Felley said staff would hold off on formal PNZ referral while pursuing the company conversation.
The board's action leaves the current citywide prohibition in place pending further review and any application US Silica might file for rezoning to a manufacturing classification.
