LAKELAND — The Lakeland City Commission approved several land development code changes related to shipping containers and affordable housing. 

The commission on Monday unanimously approved six ordinances that adjusted and consolidated certain portions of the land development code.

Although the ordinances passed with little conversation from the commission, Mayor Bill Mutz noted that these changes have been discussed at length in the past and are the result of years of study from city staff. No members of the public spoke for or against the proposed ordinances. 

The changes were originally approved by the Lakeland Planning and Zoning Board at its September meeting. 

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Under the newly approved changes, shipping containers can be used as accessory structures for certain commercial uses and as dwelling units in mobile home parks. 

The city defines a shipping container as a "large, standardized container designed for intermodal transport of goods and materials that is without wheels and any vehicle chassis." 

Commercial uses for shipping containers include food stalls and micro-retail spaces. With this new approval, landowners can start applying to use shipping containers to launch small businesses. 

The new changes surrounding shipping containers pave the way for Lakeland to erect a space similar to Sparkman Wharf, a popular waterfront destination in Tampa that uses shipping containers to house eateries. 

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The changes could also be used to create a micro-retail market in downtown Lakeland, one that could be erected for only part of the year or shift businesses in and out, allowing small retailers to test the waters before launching into brick and mortar establishments. Executive Director of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority Julie Townsend previously told The Ledger there are unused parcels and parking lots downtown that could be transformed to house shipping containers. 

Shipping containers must be added onto existing commercial property, remain in compliance with zoning rules such as minimum setbacks and have to be outfitted with commercial windows, doors, awnings, signage, landscaping, lighting and other requirements, said Chief Planner Matt Lyons. 

Shipping containers can now also be used as dwelling units in multi-family residential zoning districts and in mobile parks zoned in mobile home districts. These units have to be installed on a permanent foundation and comply with Florida building and fire prevention codes. 

The commission approved several other changes related to mobile home parks and manufactured homes. 

Under the approved ordinances, mobile home parks can be built with smaller minimum lot sizes and higher densities. Prior to these changes, the minimum lot size for a mobile park was 20 acres. Now, new mobile home parks can move into parcels adjacent to existing parks and consolidate units into areas that were previously restricted. 

The relaxation of standards surrounding mobile home parks will hopefully encourage new, higher-quality projects and more affordable housing, Lyons previously told The Ledger. 

According to the updated standards, new mobile home parks can hit a maximum density of 12 units per acre with minimum lot sizes of 30x100 feet, or 3,000 square feet total, if developers go through a conditional use process. Developers will have to show their parks have "creative and innovative manufactured designs" and "enhanced amenities such as outdoor recreation and civic open space." A conditional use approval can bypass the usual limits of seven units per acre and 4,000 square foot minimum lot sizes. 

Under the original suggested changes, any new manufactured housing would have to consist of homes produced within 10 years of permit application. That standard has been pushed to 25 years.

Planning and Housing Manager Teresa Maio told commissioners at the Oct. 15 agenda study that the change was motivated by community feedback. 

"We’ve been told that there is not a lot of inventory for those newer mobile homes," Maio said. "This would allow for mobile homes that still meet current codes but gives them that flexibility to get some additional units in there." 

Tiny homes have also gotten clearance for construction within mobile home parks, as long as those homes are constructed on a permanent towable trailer chassis. Maio said those tiny homes are essentially RVs. 

Unrelated to the land use changes, the commission also approved a request to demolish and reconstruct Southwest Middle School on Eden Parkway, a $50 million project. 

Maya Lora can be reached with tips or questions at mlora@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @mayaklora.