SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Images of holiday packages getting wet, even falling off golf carts operated by UPS, outraged some WFTV viewers during the Christmas holiday season last year.
The packages were stored in pods, which were sometimes illegally placed in the middle of neighborhoods.
"I just don't think it's fair to dump a pod in the middle of a yard and neighborhood and leave it there for months. It's just not fair to the rest of us," said Winter Park resident Kathy Burns.
But now, UPS is trying to play by the rules.
The shipping company recently sent out a letter asking local cities for their ordinances on running UPS holiday delivery services from pods or even people's garages.
The city of Lake Mary received that letter after code enforcement shut down a UPS operation in the Timacuan neighborhood last year.
"We appreciate UPS coming in and trying to find out exactly what the rules were," said Lake Mary Commissioner Gary Bender.
It's hard to keep track of exactly how many operations code enforcement agencies shut down because UPS isn't breaking the rules. The property owners who let UPS use their driveways and garages are the ones who get cited.
In Lake Mary's case, the UPS gesture didn't pay off. The city commission voted down a measure to allow the temporary operations in neighborhoods.
"We want to try and help somebody like UPS that is trying to increase efficiency, but at the same time, we've got to be cautious about what we do and where pods are -- the safety and security requirements.
Rules on temporary structures, like pods, vary from city to city.
Casselberry will allow a temporary structure for up to a month, but in Sanford they're not permitted.
WFTV
