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Scott Township delays portable‑storage container ordinance, refers it to public‑safety committee
Summary
After extended debate about enforceability and resident burden, the Scott Township board declined to advertise a proposed ordinance regulating roll‑off dumpsters and moving pods and instead referred it to the public‑safety committee for detailed drafting and recommendations (public safety committee meeting targeted for Sept. 1).
Scott Township commissioners chose not to advertise a proposed ordinance to regulate portable‑storage containers on public streets and private property, opting instead to refer the proposal to a public‑safety committee for further review.
The measure under consideration would make existing zoning restrictions enforceable by police through a permitting mechanism, planning staff said. "The bag dumpsters are the biggest issue that we have when they show up in the roadways," said Mark, the township’s code‑enforcement officer, arguing the ordinance would allow the police to track start and end dates and enforce improper placements.
Opponents on the board and members of the public pushed back on several operational points: permit fees and requirements that could impose costs on low‑income homeowners; whether a site plan or administrative review would be needed for driveway placements; how to handle pods delivered during moves or contractors who disappear before removing containers; and the extra workload placed on police and code staff to monitor compliance. "I think we're making too big of a deal out of this," the chair said at one point, urging balance; other commissioners warned of unintended consequences if the ordinance were rushed.
Rather than advertise the ordinance for public comment immediately, the board voted to form a committee / refer the draft to the public‑safety committee to develop clear permit criteria (size limits, maximum duration, reflector/visibility requirements, exemptions for emergency or storm cleanup, and liability language) and to return recommended language to the full board. Staff and commissioners were asked to provide concerns in writing ahead of the committee meeting; the board targeted Sept. 1 for a public‑safety committee meeting to consider the matter.
The referral preserves the township’s existing zoning prohibition against placing objects that obstruct roadways while creating a process the board hopes will balance enforceability with homeowner flexibility. The board did not adopt any ordinance at this meeting and will publicly post the committee’s recommendations before any advertising for ordinance adoption.
