Resident raises concern over sea‑container rules as council weighs Chapter 17 updates

Stephens City — During the public‑comment period on April 1, resident Paula Tingle raised concerns about a proposed change to the town’s sea‑container regulations and asked whether a grandfather clause would protect existing commercial containers used for business operations.

Tingle said she was concerned for her employer in Stephens City and urged the council to consider grandfathering existing containers that are used in day‑to‑day business. Mayor Michael A. Diaz invited any further public comment; none was offered during the hearing.

Town Manager Mike Majher later reported staff are working with business owners and the Frederick County Building Department to explore legal avenues for allowing existing sea containers to be converted from temporary to permanent structures. Majher also reminded the council that the Ordinance Committee had distributed a draft update to Chapter 17 (sidewalks and streets) for committee members to review; the draft was too long to discuss in full at the committee meeting and will be taken up again at a later meeting.

Regina Swygert‑Smith, chair of the Ordinance Committee, told council members the committee would continue its review at a subsequent meeting. No formal change to the town code was made at the April 1 council meeting, and the minutes do not record a staff recommendation or a council vote on sea‑container policy at this session.