Addison amends M‑2 zoning to allow intermodal containers for fire and law‑enforcement training as special use

The Village of Addison board on June 2 approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance allowing intermodal shipping containers to be used by government entities to construct and operate fire and law‑enforcement training facilities in the M‑2 General Manufacturing District.

Staff said the change follows a prior building‑code amendment that provided design pathways for container‑based structures. The zoning amendment restricts the use to fire and law‑enforcement training facilities, makes such uses a special‑use only (requiring Planning & Zoning and village board approval), and sets a maximum of four floors/stories and a 46‑foot height limit.

Why it matters: the amendment creates an explicit zoning pathway for government training facilities built from shipping containers, which staff said can serve as training structures for controlled scenarios. The change follows Planning & Zoning Commission recommendation to approve the text amendment on May 14 and staff said the amendment aligns zoning with recently proposed building‑code design guidance.

Board action and process. The board voted to approve and waive the second reading; staff noted the use will remain limited to government entities and be subject to special‑use review, which preserves site‑specific scrutiny through the public hearing process.

Limitations and scope. The ordinance does not permit shipping‑container construction as a permitted use outside of the M‑2 district, and explicit design and building‑code requirements still apply under separate building‑code provisions. No specific project applications or sites were before the board on June 2.