(a) Purpose and policy. The purpose of this section is to regulate the parking of recreational vehicles actively used as extended living accommodations and/or sleeping accommodations, to discourage permanent or long-term use of recreational vehicles for living or sleeping accommodations and to encourage the overnight parking of such recreational vehicles in designated areas within the city limits.
(b) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
OCCUPY, OCCUPANCY or OCCUPIED. The use of any recreational vehicle by any person for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes for any period of four or more consecutive days.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation or trust.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE (RV). A vehicular-type unit built on or for use on a chassis designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, vacation, or travel use, and which has a body width not exceeding eight feet and a body length not exceeding 40 feet; units may have their own power, or be mounted on or drawn by another vehicle. RECREATIONAL VEHICLE shall include motor homes, travel trailers, truck campers, camping trailers, converted buses, houseboats or other similar units.
(c) Recreational vehicle regulation. Except as otherwise provided herein, it shall be unlawful to park or place any recreational vehicle which is actively in use as sleeping or living accommodations within the city unless said recreational vehicle is located in a recreational vehicle park. This section shall not apply to the parking of recreational vehicles that are not actively in use as sleeping or living accommodations purposes. State law and city ordinances pertaining to vehicle parking shall apply to all recreational vehicle parking the same as any other vehicle parked within the city.
(d) Exemption. Unless otherwise prohibited, recreational vehicles used for sleeping and/or living accommodations may be parked on city streets in front of and adjacent to a permanent residence or upon such permanent residents’ private property when the owner or the operator of the recreational vehicle is visiting the owner or occupant of the residence for a period not to exceed two weeks. The owner or operator of the recreational vehicle so parked shall, upon the request of a law enforcement officer or other authorized city representative, provide verification that such owner or operator of the recreational vehicle is a guest of the owner or occupant of the permanent residence. Such evidence can be in the form of written or verbal authorization received directly from the owner or occupant of the permanent residence.
(e) Utilities/hookups/connections. No electrical or water connections shall be made by the recreational vehicle owner or operator to any outlet other than to an outlet metered for and with the consent of the owner or occupant of the permanent residence and only if there are no delinquent electrical charges associated with said permanent residence. Such electrical or water connections, if made, shall not exceed the two-week period as provided in division (d) above, unless the visitor has obtained a permit as provided in division (f) below. Under no circumstances shall there be any sewer connections made by the owner or occupant of the recreational vehicle with any sewer access within the city except that provided within a designated and lawful recreational vehicle park. The dumping of waste from recreational vehicles on public or private land except at a designated RV dump is expressly prohibited.
(f) Permits.
(1) Vacation trailers and motor homes may be used by visitors of residents and shall be allowed on the residents’ property for a period of time not to exceed 14 days (or longer if approved by the designated Building Official) in any consecutive six-month period. The stay may be extended by two weeks for a $50 fee; not to exceed 60 days total in any 12-month period. (This is a $50 fee for every two-week period.)
(2) No part of this division (f) shall apply or be applied to travel trailers which are legally existing under regulations in effect at the time of the adoption of this section.
(g) Inspections. The designated Building Official, in his or her discretion, may schedule an on-site inspection of a recreational vehicle to assure compliance with all current regulations.
(h) Penalties. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this section, or failing to comply therewith, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $300, and each violation shall constitute a separate violation.
(i) Registration. Registration on all RVs, campers, and travel trailers, for camping or travel use, must be registered, tagged and insured.
(Ord. 709-2014, passed 11-18-2014; Ord. 726-2022, passed 4-5-2022; Ord. 726A-2023, passed 5-16-2023)