Dardenne Prairie board debates ban on metal storage containers, refers proposal to planning and zoning

At a May 7 Dardenne Prairie work session aldermen introduced a proposal to create an ordinance prohibiting the use of metal storage containers for commercial or residential purposes, a measure brought by Alderman Detweiler, Alderman Gittermeier and Alderman Wilson.

Board members and staff debated benefits and limits. "I think it's a aesthetically unappealing look, and I think we need to be proactive about it," said an unidentified board member, while another noted container developments in Las Vegas and St. Charles as examples where such structures can be "very appealing, very interesting, and pretty nice." Several speakers also pointed out local, charitable uses: Crosshaven Church currently stores materials in two containers for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace program to assemble beds for children.

The city attorney cautioned the board that current code already includes a definition of "shipping container" and permits shipping-container constructions as conditional uses in the C-3 district under criteria adopted in 2022. "Shipping containers are prefabricated buildings," the attorney said, noting that removing permission would require code changes.

Rather than voting on an ordinance at the work session, aldermen expressed a preference to send the concept through the planning and zoning process for a fuller review. The chair asked for the board's "temperature" and a motion to proceed with routing the item was seconded; a roll-call show of hands was taken but no final ordinance was enacted at the session.

Next steps: staff and the planning and zoning commission will review definitions, allowed zones and possible exceptions (for temporary uses or nonprofit storage) and return with a recommended code amendment or an RBA for future board action.