Council holds first reading on ordinance to regulate temporary storage pods; staff to review grandfathering language

The Town Council held a public hearing and received on first reading an ordinance that would regulate temporary storage units (commonly known as pods) placed on private property.

Rick Lombardi, a resident who previously worked in the town’s zoning enforcement office, described enforcement problems he encountered and urged the council to avoid grandfathering existing long-term pods in place. Lombardi recounted a case in which a pod sat one foot off a property line and was being used as a workshop with electricity and power tools; he told the council the town previously lacked enforcement authority for such uses. “We had a gentleman who had a pod over on Shangri La Lane… he had a little workshop in there,” Lombardi said.

Chris Costa, the town’s zoning official, explained the ordinance is intended to give enforcement officers a clear mechanism to require removal or require permits and time-limited use. Costa said construction trailers and pods used strictly for active construction work would be exempt as part of a building permit, and that the draft ordinance contemplates a time-limited allowance (the draft proposes up to 120 days with potential extensions for active projects). He told the council permit fees would be minimal and aimed at covering administrative costs.

Councilors asked whether existing pods would be grandfathered. Costa and the town solicitor said they would review the legal mechanics: the solicitor advised the council can draft language to avoid unintentionally changing prior positions, and staff agreed to examine grandfathering and return revised language at a subsequent meeting. The public hearing remained open and the council voted to receive the ordinance on its first reading.

Staff noted that temporary storage used as part of construction projects would remain exempt from the new limitations so long as that use is part of an active permitted construction site.