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Yuma County supervisors initiate text amendment to loosen rules for cargo containers
Summary
After a staff presentation and public comment, the Yuma County Board of Supervisors voted to begin a formal text amendment to the county zoning ordinance that would allow certain cargo containers as accessory structures, permit stacking in some zones and consider human occupancy when building codes and permits are met.
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors voted April 7 to begin a formal text amendment to the county zoning ordinance addressing cargo containers, a move staff and some residents said would update decades-old rules for storage units and low-cost housing options.
Javier Barrazas, senior planner, told the board the Planning & Zoning Division reviewed the ordinance and stakeholder input from nearby cities, the county building-safety division, the airport authority and storage-industry representatives. Staff presented five options: permit one cargo container by right in smaller residential districts; allow more than one container on parcels of two acres or larger without a special-use permit; allow stacking in selected zoning districts subject to International Building Code (IBC) safety standards; allow containers for human occupancy with applicable building permits and code compliance; or leave the ordinance unchanged.
During public comment Aaron Soe described cargo containers as more secure than many backyard sheds, said they can be painted to fit the desert palette and argued the change would reduce noncompliance and create local business opportunities for retrofit work. Planning Director Maggie Castro clarified that proposed language would still require accessory structures to meet lot-coverage, setback and height standards and noted a 400-square-foot size limit for containers by right in some zones.
Supervisors questioned whether removing the special-use permit requirement would weaken the board
's ability to remedy neighborhood problems, and planners said existing development standards and permitting remain enforceable. After discussion a motion to initiate a text amendment to Yuma County Zoning Ordinance section 11.06.01 (cargo containers) was made and seconded; the motion carried.
Board direction calls for staff to draft amendment text for future hearings that would specify where stacking and human occupancy are allowed and include development and safety limits. The board did not adopt final ordinance language on April 7; the item advances the regulatory process so the public and Planning & Zoning Commission can review specific draft code changes.
