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ZAC weighs how to classify business that sells large storage containers; may be handled by variance or ordinance change
Summary
A proposed business to sell large storage containers revealed a gap in Alton's table of permitted uses; the committee discussed whether to recommend a variance for the applicant or amend the use table to distinguish retail vs. wholesale activity.
Alton's Zoning Amendment Committee considered Wednesday how the town should classify a proposed business that would sell large shipping/storage containers, concluding the immediate remedy may be a variance but the committee could later study whether the table of uses needs amendment.
Committee members said the town has a definition for a storage container but lacks a clear use classification that captures a business whose primary activity is selling containers for off-site use. The applicant described the operation as wholesale; staff and members noted the activity could be retail if sales are directly to the public, but the town's permitted-use table does not clearly accommodate the proposal.
Town planner Jesse MacAother and other members discussed options: the applicant could seek a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment if no table category fits, or the committee could examine whether to add a wholesale category or broaden retail/wholesale definitions in the table of uses. Committee members cautioned against enumerating every product type in the ordinance; instead they suggested clarifying whether wholesale marketing or retail sales definitions cover a container seller.
The committee did not direct an immediate text change; members said a single applicant's need could be handled through the ZBA process, but if more businesses raise the same issue the committee should consider an ordinance amendment to the table of uses to address wholesale vs. retail distinctions and permitted zones.
