Board returns 19 Columbia shipping-container shed permit to village after mixed-use questions

Secretary Scott Allen opened review of a site plan referral for 19 Columbia Street in the Village of Clyde after project representative Shaun Kelsey described buying the vacant lot from the Land Bank and planning to use a 40-foot shipping container as a personal shed and business storage.

Kelsey said the container would be partly residential and partly for business storage and that they installed an 8-foot privacy fence and planned to modify the container to look like a shed, with lattice and plantings. "We live in the upstairs portion of the building," Kelsey said, explaining the split residential/business use.

Board members questioned whether the permit should have been issued because of the mixed use. Planner Brian Pincelli asked for clarification on the container's use, and members noted the property is in a historic commercial district with first-floor storefront and office uses and residential above. After discussion the board voted to return the referral to the village for further review and recorded a No County Impact determination (Ayes 11, Nays 0).

The board did not direct county staff to take additional action; the referral will proceed through the village's review process.