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Council amends transitional-housing standard to allow intermodal containers amid sharp debate over safety and costs
Summary
Council approved a resolution to amend the city's adopted transitional housing standard to permit intermodal shipping containers as a type of transitional housing unit, a change tied to a contract contingency with Elk Island Trading Company; the vote was contested and prompted extensive public and council questioning about fire risk, insulation, heat, density and long-term durability.
The Grants Pass City Council considered and approved a resolution amending the city—s adopted transitional housing standard (Title 9) to add intermodal shipping containers (commonly called ConEx boxes) as an allowable type of transitional housing unit.
Bradley Clark, community development, said the change is linked to a grant/contract that the city awarded to Elk Island Trading Company for a proposed homeless shelter; that contract included a contingency requiring a text amendment to the city—s transitional-housing code so containerized units could be used "as soon as reasonably possible" unless the amendment would create an unreasonable risk to public health or safety. The amendment follows the state template for a local alternate standard and would: add a definition for intermodal shipping…
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