An individual’s request for a permit to put a shipping container in a property was approved by Mexico City Council at its Aug. 11 meeting.

Council approved, after a public hearing, a request from Mark Lue for an additional use permit to place a shipping container at the south end of his property, behind his building located at 910 W. Liberty St. The council vote was 4-1, with Larry Webber opposed.

A council agenda memo stated the property is zoned C-2, General Commercial District. 

“This container will be mostly out of sight from street view, due to it being placed behind his current building,” the memo stated.

City Manager Bruce Slagle told council that the container would be in view of residents to the south, which is a residential zoning district, immediately to the south of this property.

City staff sent letters to 31 surrounding property owners within 300 feet of the requested additional use permit, the memo stated, and staff received one letter in support of this request and no calls regarding the request. A hearing was held before the Planning and Zoning Commission on July 1, and the commission recommended approval. 

Staff requested council review and investigate the following criteria regarding this application and consider whether the request: 1. Substantially increases traffic hazards or congestion. 2. Substantially increases fire hazards. 3. Adversely affects the character of the neighborhood. 4. Adversely affects the general welfare of the community. 5. Overtaxes public utilities. If council’s findings are negative to all the above, then the application could be granted, but if the findings are affirmative as to any of the above conditions, then the permit must be denied. 

Council came to a majority to all five questions. Webber affirmed condition number three, because of how the container would affect the neighborhood. He explained most people won’t know what they’re objecting to until they see something going up and then they’ll say, “What in the world are y’all doing with my neighborhood?” The rest of the council answered no on that condition, so the motion carried because of the majority vote on condition three.

Also at the meeting, council approved authorizing the purchase of a dirt sifter priced at $21,845 from Ken Burns Inc. of Manchester, Iowa, for the city’s parks and recreation department. Council also approved authorizing replacement of the number one pump at the Huntingfield Lift Station for the wastewater department. The cost is $20,659 and the pump is from Vandevanter Engineering.