Council adopts outdoor‑storage amendment to address hoarding and require screening

The City Council adopted an amendment to Chapter 23 that consolidates existing outdoor‑storage rules into a single, easier‑to‑find section and adds a distinct provision aimed at excessive outdoor accumulation of materials that can become a neighborhood blight.

Staff told council the ordinance does not change long‑standing rules about parking boats, trailers and RVs (those remain regulated by side‑yard and rear‑yard provisions). The substantive additions target repetitive hoarding of materials and require screening in situations that exceed ordinary exclusions; the code also clarifies use of portable storage containers such as moving pods.

Staff explained enforcement will be complaint‑driven and phased so property owners have time to come into compliance rather than facing immediate fines. The staff presentation acknowledged that areas such as Cherry Grove may merit a separate study or a workshop to consider how boat parking functions in neighborhoods with elevated homes and limited side‑yard storage.

Residents at the meeting voiced concern about neighborhood differences and the impact on vacation rentals and POAs. Harry Ola urged council to consider community differences and right‑of‑way encroachment before applying uniform timeframes; Tony Warren Jr. sought reassurance that the ordinance would not change the existing allowance for trailers parked in side or rear yards. Staff and council responded that the consolidated section had caused confusion when circulated in news reports and that boats/trailers were not being made newly illegal.

The ordinance passed on second reading by voice vote; staff said they will monitor implementation and may return with a focused amendment or workshop on Cherry Grove boat/storage issues.