By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Until the owner of Great Northern Dock has nailed down the precise plans for a new shed to store materials, mobile storage containers are the answer.

It was the two-year solution that was approved by the Naples Planning Board during its meeting on Dec. 20.

“Originally I was going to put a shed for storage in front of my warehouse,” owner Sam Merriam said. “Since we put in the application, we see some problems with ice and snow removal. We could jockey the snow around, but long-term we don’t want to do that.”

“We are asking for a permit for some containers as a Band-Aid^® until I can come up with a real plan,” Merriam said.

“I need to be able to remove the contents from the warehouse so that I can turn the warehouse into an area for the guys to do work,” he said, referring to the fabrication of docks during the wintertime.

Great Northern Dock will purchase six mobile storage containers. The two larger ones, which will be 8x40 feet, will be placed in front of the warehouse. The four smaller containers, which will be 8x20 feet, will put at the edge of the business lot that borders the town property. The smaller units will sit on gravel with the doors toward the pavement “so that forklifts” can more easily move storage items.

“Those will accommodate all my metal and dry goods (currently) in the warehouse,” Merriam said.

“Containers aren’t really what I want,” he said.

On the flip side, the containers will be portable. So in the future, the containers can be stored on other property owned by Merriam or they can be sold, he said.

The board unanimously approved the temporary use of containers. The understanding is that Merriam will come back before the board in two years with a site plan for constructing a new shed.