An ordinance to regulate shipping containers was on the Township of West Milford Council agenda for action when the local governing board met earlier this week.
The council found it necessary to provide certain clarification to the standards in place regarding shipping containers to ensure proper and efficient implementation. Ordinance 2021-038 spells out the rules that the governing board deemed important.
Shipping containers placed on any site shall comply. But portable moving containers/moving pods on private property for no more than 30 days in any 12-month period shall not be regulated by these rules.
Structures rendered non-conforming by the ordinance may take action to obtain a certification that a use or structure existed prior to the adoption of the ordinance, which renders the use or structure nonconforming, by applying for a zoning permit subject to listed conditions.
To place shipping containers in any zone one would need to submit a zoning permit application. Placement of a shipping container over 200 square feet will also require a building permit application. Shipping containers in commercial or industrial districts, or on farm assessed properties, shall adhere to the additional requirements.
Shipping containers shall not be used for storage of hazardous materials and may not be used as dwelling units, commercial sales or service. They may not be stacked.
If the shipping container is in any yard that is adjacent to another residential property, or visible from any street, the container must either be screened or improved with cladding or siding. No more than one shipping container per every four acres can be placed on residential property, according to the ordinance.
- Ann Genader