Container Storage - Hendricks Ltr & MVM
Page 1 of 1
Jeanne Schneider
Bill Hendricks [hendricks@yousq.net]
Thursday, June 09,20059:11 PM
amichalski@cityofdubuque. org; dnicholson@cityofdubuque.org; jconnors63@mchsi.com;
jmarkham@cornerenergy.com; jschneid@cityofdubuque.org; pcline@cityofdubuque.org;
ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org
Subject: Exterior Storage Container Ordinance
From:
Sent:
To:
Dear City Council Member and/or Manager:
I would like to express my sincere satisfaction for your actions on Monday, May 16, 2005 when you repealed the
exterior storage container ordinance. I was dismayed when I received a letter in early January telling me I had to
remove my one trailer by July 1st. The first thing I thought was this was a anti-business proposition. I have had
one trailer here for seven years. I wonder how many of you even notice it when you drive down Central Ave? It is
in the comer of my lot against the property line of the Grand Tap. I use this trailer to store straw exclusively. Straw
is a very messy item and needs to be contained. My insurance company thinks that storing the straw in a
separate container all by itself is the best way logistically to handle this item. I want you to know that the City of
Dubuque purchases straw from me quite often. Without this trailer, I would most likely be out of the straw
business. I think the council did not realize the impact such an ordinance would have on businesses such as
mine. I understand that there is a need to address issues such as rusty & dilapidated trailers. Also there should be
a ruling that they cannot be electrically wired or block fire exits. The 20 foot off the property line ruling would make
it logistically difficult for me to keep this trailer. Why is there a need for a setback from the property line? My
neighbor has no problem with this trailer.
I would like to invite any of you to my place of business and view my trailer. Please stop in and I will gladly go
over my position with you further. I sell 2500 bales of straw out of this trailer yearly and straw is not an easy item
to handle. There are very few businesses that handle this item and I would like to continue to sell straw. A site
plan would be acceptable. A fee is not favorable, but I would be willing to pay a small yearly fee if necessary.
Please continue to allow me to have my trailer in its present location and keep Dubuque at the forefront in the
business community, not like the handful of cities that have banned the trailers. Did you notice that there are no
larger cities that ban these trailers like Chicago or New York?
Thank you,
William H. Hendricks
President
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06/1 0/2005
.
,
City Manager's Office
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
(563) 589-4110 phone
(563) 589-4149 fax
ctyrngr@cityofdubuque.org
THE CITY OF {~:::~
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DUBtJQUE
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June 16, 2005
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Mr. Bill Hendricks, President
Hendricks Feed and Seed
880 Central Avenue
Dubuque Iowa 52001
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Dear Bill,
I received your email regarding the repeal of the ordinance prohibiting exterior storage
containers. The use of exterior storage containers has been a growing concern for city
staff as more and more of these containers are located throughout the city. These
containers are unregulated, their contents unknown and in some cases these storage
containers have been modified and do not meet any type of code and present a
potential hazard. At the May 16, 2005 City Council meeting, the City Council directed
city staff to work with the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce and business
representatives to develop a compromise by July 1, 2005 that would regulate these
containers. Some of the key issues that will need to be addressed in a new ordinance
will be safety, licensing and how to pay for the cost to inspect and license these
containers.
In your letter you mention the use of a container to store bales of straw as an important
part of your business operation. I believe this is something that can be achieved under
a new ordinance. As you expressed to me when I visited your business earlier this
year, you did not want this straw in your building because of the fire hazards, however,
in your letter you expressed concern that the storage container must be set back 20'
from the neighboring property line and that your neighbor has no problem with your
trailer. This is very close to your neighbor's building. A storage container full of straw
adjacent to any structure would be something that the Fire department would be
concerned about. Throughout this process, the Fire department has continued to
express the need to maintain a 20' separation between these containers and other
structures. The recommendation for a 20' separation is similar to a 20' fire lane that is
required on all site plans as that is the minimum space needed for fire trucks needed in
responding to a fire.
Service
People
Integrity
Responsibility
Innovation
Teamwork
Mr. Bill Hendricks, President
June 16,2005
Page 2
Thank you for your input regarding this matter. Please feel free to contact me if you
have any questions.
SincerjhJr
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
Cc: Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Dan Brown, Fire Chief