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County staff say shipping containers over 200 sq ft require permits; debate follows after social‑media complaint
Summary
Planning staff told commissioners that shipping containers (Conex boxes) larger than 200 square feet require building permits, and that the county convened its building‑board of appeals to clarify the code after a Facebook complaint. Staff said the county will work on an ordinance and is not planning aggressive enforcement beyond complaint‑driven inspections.
Planning staff briefed Jefferson County commissioners on a public outcry over permitting for Conex (shipping) containers and outlined the county’s approach to enforcement and possible ordinance changes.
Staff said the building code treats structures over 200 square feet as requiring a building permit; as one county official summarized, "the building code ... says that anything over 200 square feet requires building permit" (transcript: Speaker 8, SEG 1068‑1071). Staff said a recent Facebook complaint prompted a meeting of the building board of appeals to discuss code interpretation and to show the public the board’s experience and reasoning.
Officials described the county’s current approach as complaint‑driven and compliance‑oriented: inspectors are attempting “knock‑and‑talk” visits before escalating to penalties. "We're not going to go out like we're doing the trees in the right‑of‑way... we're not going to go hunt them down," staff said, explaining the county’s reluctance to pursue blanket enforcement and its preference for working with residents who come into compliance (transcript: Speaker 8, SEG 1168‑1174).
Code and fee details discussed in the meeting included: the building‑code definition of "temporary" as 180 days (transcript: Speaker 3, SEG 1273‑1275); a cited building‑permit fee figure of roughly $225.30 that includes mapping and technology fees (transcript: Speaker 8, SEG 1201‑1207); and a standard inspection fee cited at about $90 (transcript: Speaker 8, SEG 1383‑1387). Staff said the county may consider a special, lower fee for Conex boxes or refine ordinance language to address movability versus permanent installation.
Commissioners and staff also discussed floodplain rules and engineering requirements when containers are modified or stacked. Staff advised the public that cutting windows or otherwise permanently altering containers would trigger building‑permit requirements and that structural engineering is needed if containers will support a roof or are otherwise altered.
Planning staff said an ordinance addressing specific Conex issues will be drafted and brought back to the commission. They also encouraged residents who want relief or clarification to submit correspondence into the public record so it can be included in the file for the next public hearing on the matter.
The county did not adopt any new ordinance at the meeting; staff primarily presented findings, explained current rules and outlined next steps for draft ordinance language and further public process.
