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Oconto council reviews zoning changes that would count storage tents as accessory buildings
Summary
Councilors reviewed plan-commission proposals to change how accessory buildings are counted, clarify temporary-tent rules and bar shipping-container structures in residential zones; the changes would let some lots have up to three accessory structures only if there is a detached garage.
The City of Oconto discussed proposed revisions to its zoning ordinance that would change how accessory structures are counted and where certain temporary or nontraditional structures would be allowed.
The plan commission recommended an ordinance that would allow one accessory building on a vacant property and would clarify how additional accessory structures are counted. A council member (Committee member) said the draft would bring many aluminum-framed storage tents into the accessory-building count, noting, "The storage tent actually counts as 1 of their accessory bins." That, the member said, means "you can have 3, but 1 of them has to be a detached garage" — in other words, only lots with a detached garage would be able to reach a three-building total under the draft language.
Council discussion focused on the effect for residential property owners who use temporary storage tents for lawn equipment and on the change to how long such temporary structures may be in place. A Committee member said the draft alters existing practice by not permitting homeowners to simply choose "any 6 months" for temporary tent placement; the council sought clarification about how the new timing requirement would be applied.
The draft also includes a plan-commission recommendation to prohibit shipping-container accessory buildings in R-1, R-2, R-3 and RMA residential zones. Council members asked planning and staff to confirm precise definitions and to supply maps; the plan commission materials in the packet were cited during discussion.
No final effective date for the ordinance package was stated in the segments provided. The council directed staff to bring clarified draft language and maps back to a future meeting for formal action and to publish specifics about temporary-structure time limits and how detached garages will factor into accessory-building counts.
