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Middlesex supervisors approve special exception for Better Box portable storage in Deltaville
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved a special exception allowing up to 60 portable storage containers at 16379 General Poor Highway (tax parcel 40-259) with conditions that include a site plan, screening, a 100-foot setback from Route 33, and a bond to guarantee landscaping.
The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors on a unanimous vote approved Special Exception 202502, permitting Better Box Storage LLC to lease portable storage units at 16379 General Poor Highway in the Pontotop District.
The approval (motion by Supervisor Bill Harris; second by Mr. Crittendon) came with conditions set by staff and the Planning Commission, including a site plan and landscaping meeting Article 17b of the county zoning ordinance, a 100-foot setback from Route 33, a limit of no more than 60 containers on site at any one time, a prohibition on stacking containers, and a performance bond to assure required plantings.
The special-exception request was for a roughly 6-acre parcel currently zoned village community with a future land-use designation of commercial. Planning staff noted the future land-use map showing commercial use was a relevant consideration for approval and said the use had commenced before site-plan approval; staff emphasized the use cannot be authorized to operate until a minor site plan and required landscaping/screening are submitted and approved.
David Kretz, the county planner, walked the board through the application, describing the property and staff’s recommended conditions. He told the board the parcel is identified in county tax records as Parcel 40-259, contains an old residence and agricultural uses, and is adjacent to a parcel that previously received approval for the same use about 10 years earlier. Kretz said staff recommended requiring a site plan showing the landscaping and screening and noted the Planning Commission had recommended approval with the addition of a $50,000 performance bond; Kretz recommended the bond amount be calculated to match the actual cost of the required plantings rather than be a fixed sum.
Mark Daniel, who identified himself as owner of Better Box, answered questions from the board and described his operation. Daniel said the company’s boxes are new and delivered with a low-intensity delivery system; they are typically rented for about 90 days for remodeling projects or storm/flood recovery. “I love your community. I wanted to be welcome here,” Daniel said. He said the firm does not plan to perform industrial maintenance on the containers at the site and that routine washing with a garden hose is all that would be done on occasion.
Board members pressed on practical details such as screening, spacing and stacking, and maintenance. One supervisor described the $50,000 bond as “pretty stiff” if the board did not require fencing and asked staff to calculate a commensurate performance bond. Another supervisor recommended that, rather than spreading containers across the frontage, compacting them in a screened area would reduce visual impact; staff confirmed the site plan must depict the area of use and the required screening. The board also clarified that the county’s sign regulations (Article 16) prohibit signage attached to a storage container, and that any sign would have to comply with the ordinance.
The formal motion approved the application with staff-recommended conditions and any additional conditions set by the board; the roll call vote was Mr. Williams — yes; Mr. Bill Harris — yes; Mr. Crittendon — yes; Mr. Jesse — yes; Mr. Don Harris — yes. The board’s action allows the applicant to proceed with the site-plan process; staff noted the use cannot lawfully commence until required site-plan approvals and landscaping are finalized.
Local context: the property is in a village-commercial area of Deltaville near a thrift shop, residences and retail parcels. The board and applicant discussed screening to hide the containers from Route 33 and the possibility of renovating an existing on-site house. The Planning Commission reviewed the case on Aug. 14 and recommended approval with an addendum bond amount to ensure the plantings were completed.
Looking ahead, the county will require submission and approval of a minor site plan with a landscaping and screening plan before authorizing the special-exception use; staff will calculate a performance bond consistent with the scope of required plantings.
