Meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission held February 24, 2026, 6:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of City Hall.
Members present: Kevin Asker – Chairman
Dan Gautney
Brian Perry
Elijah Rauzi
Yolanda Stout
Lee Spencer
Members absent: James Zehner – Vice Chair
City Staff: City Administrator Kennedy
The meeting was called to order by Kevin Asker at 6:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: On motion by Dan Gautney, second by Yolanda Stout to approve the minutes of January 27, 2026, as presented. Motion carried.
PUBLIC HEARING #1: The public hearing was opened for a variance application submitted by Mountain View School District to place a shipping container on the west side of the metal shop, bordering F Street and located in Residential Zone A.
APPLICANT PRESENTATION: Levi Stone, a shop teacher at Grangeville High School with Mountain View School District, is looking for a way to store parts. They started a car club and someone is donating a car for them to work on and they want to keep it out of the weather. They thought a shipping container would be the easiest way to store the car and all the parts. They would like to place it on the west side of the metal shop along F Street. There is a concrete pad where there used to be a propane tank and they would clean it up and match the pad to level it.
Kevin Asker questioned if it would encroach on F Street. Levi stated it would be next to building. Lee Spencer questioned when they wanted to install it and if it would be permanently located on site. Levi stated after permission is granted, they would raise funds to purchase it and hopefully buy and place it in March. He felt it would be permanent once installed. Dan Gautney questioned the size of the shipping container. Levi stated it was 40’x10’. Kevin questioned if the car club would be ongoing. Levi stated he hoped so. They have an automotive class, but not all students can fit it in their schedule. The car club meets once a week outside of school hours. The car being donated is stripped to bare metal so it would rust if it’s in the weather. Lee asked if the car club loses interest, would there be another use for the container. Levi stated it could store metal for the shop. Currently, all the metal is in the bus barn along the wall. Brian asked how close the container would be to the property line on F Street. Levi stated the container is 10’ wide and it would be next to the metal shop. He was unsure of the property line. Administrator Kennedy stated the setback off F Street could be an issue. She can work with Bob Mager to determine the approximate right of way line prior to the Council meeting. If there was not enough room for the required setback off F Street, Kennedy explained Levi would need to go through the variance process again to ask for a variance of the required setback. Brian asked if Levi had a Plan B if the variance wasn’t approved and also questioned whether the container had words or labels on the outside. Levi stated they could turn down the car and not do the project. Kevin questioned if there was room between the maintenance building and metal shop? Levi stated that area is currently being utilized by the school. Dan was not opposed to the placement although Brian brought up a good point of making it look good. Levi stated if it was painted nicely, it would actually clean up the area. Kevin stated other than the Ebert property to the west, the container would be out of sight and it’s a pretty good location.
Brian stated the last time the commission dealt with a shipping container in Zone A they had a short-term recommendation that the council didn’t like, and the council made a different decision. He was sympathetic to the school’s cause but didn’t want Levi to do a lot of extra leg work if the council didn’t want to approve the container in a residential zone. When asked if the commission needed to deny the request and have the school start over, asking for a variance of both the setback and permission to place the shipping container in Zone A, Kennedy recommended the commission act on the current request. Based upon their recommendation, the Council could then make a decision on the application. For example, if the Council approved the application, but it did not meet the setback, the school could reapply for a variance to have the container in the required setback. If the Council denied the application, the school would not need to go through the extra work to ask for the container to be allowed in the setback. City Administrator Kennedy stated the previous application Brian referenced was in January 2025 and the commission recommended allowing the shipping container for 2 years, or less if the renter vacated the property. The Council felt that was too long and gave the applicant 90 days to remove the container.
STAFF PRESENTATION: City Administrator Kennedy reported all notices of hearing were delivered to those property owners within 300’ and published in the paper for the public at large. Kennedy explained section 10-3-13: SHIPPING CONTAINERS, which prohibits permanent storage in zone A, zone B or the business district of zone C, if the same are in any yard or are otherwise available for public viewing on any real property within the city of Grangeville. Permanent use is any use for storage by an owner exceeding ninety (90) days’ continual use.
WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE: none
SUPPORTERS: none
NEUTRALS: none
OPPONENTS: none
APPLICANT REBUTTAL: none
Hearing closed at 6:20 p.m.
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Brian Perry stated for discussion purposes what if the commission recommended to deny the application because it would be permanent storage in a residential zone and it is unknown if there is enough setback from F Street. If they had enough setback, he would recommend adding a lean-to style addition to the building, instead of a shipping container. Money-wise he felt it would be similar. Dan Gautney agreed. Kevin Asker stated it might be a more useable structure.
Lee Spencer asked if Brian’s concern was more about setting a precedent of allowing a storage container in a residential zone or the looks of a container. Brian felt this situation was the perfect reason for a variance to have a shipping container, as it’s almost hidden from the public, so it really hinges on the setback. When granting variances in town, Dan felt like people really like shipping containers, so more variance applications could be more coming. Brian felt if the council could defend their decision, then it could be ok. This situation is completely different than a request in the Blewett subdivision. Brian stated this application is for the greater good of the youth. Kevin agreed wholeheartedly with Brian’s comment. This offering at the school is critical to the students; many are looking for a trade, not college. He felt the high school should be encouraged to move in that direction. Dan questioned if a foundation would make the shipping container permanent. Administrator Kennedy stated by definition, it is the timeframe of more than 90 days. Lee stated he was ok with it, if it meets setback. It’s hard to say what the best option for the school is, either building or purchasing a shipping container. It’s an obscure spot. He felt the kids should have the education option. Kevin stated there is still the appearance issue of a shipping container.
On motion by Brian Perry, second by Dan Gautney to recommend to the city council to allow a variance of a shipping container for use at Grangeville High School for the auto club/metal shop, with the understanding that it needs to meet setbacks for F Street and that they paint it a neutral color that blends with the building or has a high school patriotic theme, such as school colors or bulldog logo, and has no shipping/container type logos on it. ROLL CALL VOTE: YES: Gautney, Stout, Rauzi, Perry, Spencer NO: none. ABSTAIN: none. The motion passed.
STAFF REPORT: City Administrator Kennedy stated the conditional use application for an upholstery business at 815 N Mill Street was approved by the Council as recommended by the commission.
TITLE 10 ZONING, CHAPTERS 4 – 6 & 10: City Administrator Kennedy reviewed Title 10, Chapters 4-6 and 10 with the commission. If the commission hears of or knows of outdated information in the code, they can ask Kennedy to place it on a future agenda for discussion to then recommend changes to the Council.
NEXT MEETING: Next meeting March 24, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
Adjourned by Kevin Asker at 7:15 p.m.
Tonya Kennedy – City Clerk
