Council narrows plan to allow shipping-container homes only in existing RB trailer parks

The Gulfport City Council on Dec. 16 amended a proposed zoning text change to allow residentially converted shipping-container parks only within existing manufactured-home parks zoned RB (residence-business) and not on individual R2 or R3 lots.

The action followed a presentation from city planning staff and a lengthy exchange with council members, who pressed for explicit language to prevent container residences from appearing in single-family residential neighborhoods. Councilmember Hines led the amendment and the council voted to pass the language as drafted; the clerk recorded the motion as passed unanimously.

City planning staff (Mr. Jones) told the council the planning commission recommended the text amendment after studying building-code compliance and wind/engineering requirements. "The building codes that have been adopted throughout the country and in the city of Gulfport now accept shipping containers that have been converted, that meet all the building codes and wind standards and everything else," Mr. Jones said during the presentation. He said the amendment is intended to give the city clearer controls so converted containers cannot be treated as modular homes and placed anywhere a stick-built house could be built.

Councilmember Hines repeatedly asked whether the proposed ordinance would permit containers on individual R2 or R3 lots; planning staff clarified the draft explicitly prohibited container residences on individual lots in R2 and R3 zones and limited the new use to RB-zoned manufactured-home parks, subject to planning commission approval. Hines told colleagues she wanted "the strongest cements you can put on it" to avoid a rush of rezoning or unintended placement near single-family homes.

The council also heard from code office staff about inspection and anchoring standards. The city code inspector, Greg, said inspectors will treat converted containers similarly to single-family homes for key inspections, require engineered anchoring and stamped engineering plans where appropriate, and enforce the wind-load standards cited in current codes.

Manufacturers and park owners described the product and local pilot plans. Frank Wilham, who identified himself as a local container-home manufacturer, said the units are engineered to meet IRC standards and undergo third-party, staged inspections during fabrication. Park owner Robert "Beau" Wilshire said his firm plans to replace aged, vacant mobile homes at one existing park with container units for rent, that the units could be modest (320 sq. ft.) up to larger homes, and that the operator intends to accept housing vouchers.

The council adopted an amendment that reads, in part, that a "shipping container park (residential) shall only be allowed in existing manufactured-home parks in an RB (residence-business) zone, condition upon planning commission approval, and shall not be permitted or allowed in any other zone or on an individual lot within an RB zone." The amended ordinance will be written and returned for filing consistent with that language.

Council members characterized the change as a cautious, limited pilot that preserves local control while offering an option the city can expand later if the pilot demonstrates benefits for affordability or housing durability. The ordinance will return as written per the mayor's and planning staff's instructions.