Madison Park

 From the City of Charlotte Portable storage containers, such as P.O.Ds., are allowable on residential property as a temporary fixture (no permit required).  Temporary is defined in the City of Charlotte Zoning Ordinance (definitions section) to be for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days.  If the portable storage container remains on property for more than 90 days it is treated as an accessory structure and then becomes subject to zoning development standards (yard requirements, maximum building coverage, watershed, S.W.I.M. buffer, historic district regulations, etc.).  Also, after ninety days, if the storage unit exceeds 12 feet in width or height, it becomes subject to local building code requirements for an accessory storage building.  From discussions with Mecklenburg County LUESA, it is practically impossible and cost prohibitive to upfit a P.O.Ds type storage container to meet building code requirements for an accessory structure.

Residents can alert the city to locations of container that remain longer than 90 days to have them inspected.  

 I was alerted to this information today form the City of Charlotte.  I was unaware that current regulations and rules limited the length of time PODS could be on residential properties.  This as many of you know has come up at our Monthly meetings and to me directly. 

i can't help but think that i am the subject of this post...

i am a homeowner on murrayhill road and currently have a portable container in my driveway to store lumber and other materials while i remodel my home... is this a problem? i would appreciate someone contacting me to discuss prior to filing any compaints with the city. i'm sure neighborhood residents do not like the unsightliness of these 'temporary' containers in driveways; however, it is necessary while I remodel my home... i hope this fact is being considered when discussed at the monthly meetings...

The City of Charlotte informed the HOA on Friday that if residents are in violation of the 90 days for having containers/pods on their property they cannot remove the pod to be in compliance of an order to remove, then bring a container back on their property at a later date.  Basically the clock does not start over for the POD/Container.

By bringing a pod back on their property residents are immediately subject to a citation by the zoning dept.   On top of that the zoning dept contacts the company supplying the pod to instruct them to remove the pod immediately. 

I learned from one of our residents that had this happen recently that the POD company was told failure to remove would result in the POD being towed by the city.

We are just putting this information out so that others will not have the same problem and face citations.  This was a new clarification to the Neighborhood on the rules on PODs 

Hopefully if residents need this type container they can fill them and then have them stored off site in a storage center until they need them brought back to empty.

Neighbors:

Know this and understand it well:  You create your own hand grenade when you place a portable storage unit on your property -- especially when you leave it on site long enough to be cited by Codes Enforcement (i.e., 90 days).  You pull the pin and drop it at your feet (!) when you have the unit redelivered -- a new 90-day window does NOT open.  It explodes into a $50 - $200 citation at a very stressful time in your life.

[The storage companies do not currently inform their customers that such ordinances exist.  The owners will tell you that it is impossible for them to keep up with each municipality's specific injunctions.  Some companies advertise in a manner and with ad content that is in direct contravention to existing city code enforcement policy !]

Take this to heart:  If you are cited for a 90-day violation, continue to work YOUR plan.  From hard won experience, we made a huge mistake by complying to the notification of violation letter from Codes within 48 hours of its receipt.  Take the time necessary to empty the unit and avoid the need to have it redelivered.  We assumed incorrectly that redelivery was allowed and, consequently, did not take the time to work our plan in emptying the unit after it had remained 90 days on our property.

As a property owner, understand that the use of a portable storage unit is a one-time event.  AS A NEIGHBOR, USE YOUR COMMON AND COMPASSIONATE SENSE -- OFFER TO HELP.