Containers, vehicles prohibited with exceptions
By: Stephanie Prokop
MANSFIELD The Township Council on Oct. 25 unanimously approved an amended ordinance prohibiting construction vehicles and storage containers in residential areas, with some changes inspired by residents’ comments.
Residents were concerned about how to handle storage and construction issues during major home renovations.
The ordinance, intended to prohibit the storage of construction vehicles, trailers and storage containers considered a visual nuisance by many in town, was amended with an exemption for construction, reconstruction or remodeling for up to six months from the issuance of a permit for the work.
The changes were made after the council was greeted by confusion from township residents at the meeting. Among chief concerns expressed were how people would remodel their houses if they weren’t allowed to have a storage unit on their driveway, and the time limitations of having any approved storage unit on a property.
According to Township Manager Joseph Broski, the ordinance will be taken seriously and he said minor home improvements do not warrant the presence of a storage container.
"A resident (can’t say) ‘Oh well I’m painting, so I’m remodeling,’" he stressed. "If you got a building permit, (it) must be a major renovation of the structure going on," Mr. Broski said.
Commercial portable storage containers such as PODS (Portable On Demand Storage) are often used by people who are moving or cleaning out clutter, but under the adopted ordinance they would only be permitted with such a building permit.
Mr. Broski has remarked before that the township’s main concern was people renting out devices like PODS and leaving them on their property for an indefinite amount of time.

