Local RV Parking

[Jacjayco]

I'm having some difficulty with the local authorities.

I own my home . Just spent a good deal on a concrete slab and adding a 30 amp service .
Professionally done to have a place to park our 2021 212qb.
I've lived here for 8 years nice neighborhood, nice people. We have a corner lot about 2/3 of an acre.

Everything great, until a notice of violation is stapled to my mail box. The notice of course that prohibits storing an rv in the front or side yard. They have given me 10 days to remove the camper.. In addition, it says that any rv or boat must not be visible from the street.

Never had any indication there were issues . Camper has been there since we bought it in September. I was floored. It was partially the number of rv's and boats parked near me that led me to believe that there was no reason to be concerned.

I drove through the neighborhood and documented 19 rv's and boats parked in yards within one mile of my home. Yes, 19! Front yard, side yard. All visible from the street.

Anyone have any experience or suggestions? Maybe apply for a zoning exception?

[2edgesword]

Sorry to hear about this especially given others in the neighborhood have boats and RV's in driveways. Is there any chance, given you have a corner lot, that the RV is blocking the view of traffic on the road coming in either direction?

[RogerR]

Happened to me too. Turned out I had a pissed off neighbor report me and then the board sent out the letter. When I complained they said it didn't matter that others were in violation.

I had the option to move it to my back yard (a $1,000 plus later).

My suggestion is that you make a list of each address in violation in your neighborhood and either try to get their support or report them to get a mass action going.

I would also consider an in person meeting with as close to the head of the department and plead reasonable cause and investment in your parking area.

Also, you could ask for time to install a privacy fence or other visual break to qualify your current location.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Jacjayco

I'm having some difficulty with the local authorities.

I own my home . Just spent a good deal on a concrete slab and adding a 30 amp service .
Professionally done to have a place to park our 2021 212qb.
I've lived here for 8 years nice neighborhood, nice people. We have a corner lot about 2/3 of an acre.

Everything great, until a notice of violation is stapled to my mail box. The notice of course that prohibits storing an rv in the front or side yard. They have given me 10 days to remove the camper.. In addition, it says that any rv or boat must not be visible from the street.

Never had any indication there were issues . Camper has been there since we bought it in September. I was floored. It was partially the number of rv's and boats parked near me that led me to believe that there was no reason to be concerned.

I drove through the neighborhood and documented 19 rv's and boats parked in yards within one mile of my home. Yes, 19! Front yard, side yard. All visible from the street.

Anyone have any experience or suggestions? Maybe apply for a zoning exception?

This case went to the US Supreme Court and the city lost and it is used as reference by Good Sam with regards to RV Parking Rights Nationally all the time. I would first ask for a copy of your communities zoning restrictions.

https://casetext.com/case/euclid-v-fitzthum

https://webcontent.goodsam.com/goods.../euclid_oh.pdf

[TWP723]

Looks like you'll be searching for a storage lot. Sorry 'bout that.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by Jacjayco

I'm having some difficulty with the local authorities.

I own my home . Just spent a good deal on a concrete slab and adding a 30 amp service .
Professionally done to have a place to park our 2021 212qb.
I've lived here for 8 years nice neighborhood, nice people. We have a corner lot about 2/3 of an acre.

Everything great, until a notice of violation is stapled to my mail box. The notice of course that prohibits storing an rv in the front or side yard. They have given me 10 days to remove the camper.. In addition, it says that any rv or boat must not be visible from the street.

Never had any indication there were issues . Camper has been there since we bought it in September. I was floored. It was partially the number of rv's and boats parked near me that led me to believe that there was no reason to be concerned.

I drove through the neighborhood and documented 19 rv's and boats parked in yards within one mile of my home. Yes, 19! Front yard, side yard. All visible from the street.

Anyone have any experience or suggestions? Maybe apply for a zoning exception?

I had something similar happen many years back and installed a large wood panel gate at the side yard and corner of the house where I had parked the RV, which made it unable to be seen from the road. I am happy to now live where no such rules (ordinances) apply. ~CA

[CAG]

Is this the local government or the HOA? If the HOA it will be difficult if not impossible to beat them with it. That is if they or the city has not violated this point made by the court decision:
Assignment of Error No. 2

"The Trial Court erred in finding the defendants guilty because Section 1377.06 has been applied by City officials in an arbitrary, unreasonable, and discriminatory manner to defendants and in an unequal and discriminatory manner as between defendants and the owners of other campers, trucks, boats, and other vehicles which fall within the purview of the Section."



If they have failed to enforce a local ordinance or HOA CC&R with others you win. If not and the local jurisdiction has ordinances in place (just about every city in the metro area here regulates RVs and boat parking) you are probably dead in the water.



The other point here, made by the case in point is you may end up in the state supreme court trying to get a judgement and that will get very, very expensive unless some attorney jumps in and takes it Pro bono.

[Big1]

I live in a gated community and the rules we are not suppose to have an rv in front of our home no more than 48 hrs and now that I have an rv I'm trying to find a place to move that have the space. Now I was fortunate to have a space on a army base, the price is not bad but I still will be moving one day.

[Jacjayco]

Thanks for the responses. Here are more details:
The county planning office issued the violation. The rv isn't blocking any street view. I spent several thousand on the improvements made. One option for me is to extend the current privacy fence to enclose the entire side yard. Another several thousand to do it.
Mr. Grumpy, I'll certainly look at the case law!
Some great suggestions everyone! Thanks.
I'll keep you updated....

[mharrison]

Here's our city's regulations, it's violated often even by a councilman.

No vehicle, excluding mobile homes, modular homes, manufactured homes, shall be parked or stored for more than one (1) week unless it is located to the rear of the home. Vehicles parked in the rear of the home must be behind the building, upon a pad constructed of asphalt, concrete, or not less than three (3) inches of gravel compacted to prevent rutting when the vehicle is moved. Side yard parking pads existing at the time of passage of this Section and meeting the above noted surface requirements may continue to be used. The vehicle or trailer shall not be parked or stored within five (5) feet of the rear lot line or within ten (10) feet of the side lot line. No part of the trailer or vehicle may extend over a public sidewalk or right-of-way.

[Jagiven]

That is a bumber.

Did you pull permits for the pad and electrical? If yes, does the submitted plan state rv pad on it? If so, and it was approved, you could have some leverage, on the city/county.

I would also look up the statue and read it multiple times. You may find a loop hole or two.

Good luck.

Edit: I just took a quick glance at Columbia's parking ordinances and saw nothing about trailer parking on private property. https://library.municode.com/sc/colu...OOR_CH12MOVETR

It seems odd a county would be so strict.

I cannot open Richland county parking ordinances on my phone, but it looks to be 26-173. It is titled off street parking standards"

[TxLoser]

That really sucks. Especially given the dollars and effort you put into getting a slab and electrical hookups. I’d be pretty upset. I guess If the rules were already printed when you set it all up, all you can do I find a way to conform so you can keep it there. The fence around the side yard sounds like a good plan to me.

RV’s in suburbia is a tough sale. In my city, you can’t have an RV in front of your home for longer than 24hrs. Within my HOA, it’s 24 hrs as well, but they add that no boats, RV’s, etc stored in driveways, or even backyards. Admittedly, It does look nicer that way, but sure is expensive for all of us with RV’s in this neighborhood. Guy a few doors down has a Class A that’ll be there for a couple days at a time. He just moves it each day to reset the clock.

[mokurt]

Were the RV's you saw parked cited?

Maybe neighbor complained?

[Jolvi]

Had that happen to me, only thing was they left a notice on the door. We had a popup at the time and what had happened is that the people down the street parked an old car in the drain to a water retention area and the city that mowed the area could not get in to mow. Called the city enforcement officer and asked about it and he said that seeing as how I was not the culprit but the rule stated that vehicles could not be parked on grass. He said get some gravel and maybe a couple of landscape timbers to hold gravel in place and the tires would be off of the grass. He even mentioned that I kept it mowed and no tall grass around it. Being a thinking individual I asked so the tires have to be off of the grass? He said yep so I asked if I just bought pavers and put under the tires all would be good, he hesitated and said well yes that would be fine. We poured a pad and extended the driveway to a three car wide drive all is good. Sometimes you are not the bad one it may be the neighbor not being happy.

[jetlag]

I feel for you, That is why we live in the country in the middle of 89 Acres. We despise HOA's and city zoning crap. My bride owns a large property management company in town, with lots of HOA's as well , over 50 if I remember correctly, and each one is a pain in the rear. Our daughter handles that part of the business, and when she bought her last house she mad sure there were no restrictions. Lots of TT's in her neighborhood.

[Jagiven]

I might have found your loop hole;

Sec. 17-319 (b) Parking in front of principal structure. No person shall park a vehicle of any description, including but not limited to automobiles, trucks, vans, buses, motorcycles, all-terrain or similar off-road vehicles, recreational vehicles, motor homes, campers or camping trailers, trailers, boats, and jet skis within the front yard of any property used for residential purposes except upon a parking space designed in accordance with this section. This section is not intended to prohibit the temporary parking of a vehicle upon a driveway.

I did not see any comments in the rest of the section that states the trailer must be located in the back yard out of site.

https://library.municode.com/sc/colu...18PATRTRLOREZO

Sec.17-318 is also interesting as I would expect the back yard rule to be noted here or referenced to.
"Parking of travel trailers on lots in residential zones" Is 2 sentences, and does not state it must be in the back yard out of site.

Sec 17-348 (a) - "Special Conditions", "UTD district. In urban transitional districts (UTD), parking should be in the rear of the lot, screened by the building, or to the side of the lot and screened from the street by a landscaped buffer at least ten feet wide." No comments about trailers.

If you have a windows based PC. When you have the page open, press "Control + F" and it will pop up a search window. You can type in key words to search on.

The ordinance # I would expect to be listed on the citation. Well worth reading the ordnance and any cross references.

Let us know how it goes.

[Jacjayco]

Thanks again everyone. More responses below:
There is no HOA here. Jagiven, no permits were required. Mokurt, no other citations written.

I'm looking at the code referenced on the citation. The reference is 26-173 (f1 and f2). I'm doing my homework before I send them a response. Thanks to you guys, I've got several options to plead my case.

I would never have done the project if it was apparent that no rv's or boats were around here. Since the are so many, it just never occurred to me that there was a problem. I have leased a space at a local storage facility. If I must move it, but it's expensive. My insurance will increase, it will bake in the parking lot instead of under shade trees, and I can't see it....also makes it more difficult to work on it or load for a trip. I'm a disabled vet and it's a bit inconvenient to go 2 miles each way every time ....

Thanks again every one. I'll update as this plays out.

[mokurt]

Your insurance will increase because it's not stored at your house?

Wow getting it from everyone.
Good luck!

[JFlightRisk]

My insurance company wanted to know where our TT was going to be kept. The rate was higher if it wasn't on our property. Different companies may have different rules.

[LuckyDuck]

As a retired city administrator and current director on our HOA board, I’m familiar with this. I would almost bet my 212QBW that a neighbor complained, prompting the zoning code citation. It’s not as common for such strict conditions in a county — usually it’s more a city thing as they are more densely populated and have stricter requirements. In our city, citations are complaint driven as code enforcement doesn’t have the time or manpower to go around looking for violations.

In our HOA we urge homeowners to check the city codes AND our CCRs before doing something or you risk having to tear it out. You may be able to fight it, but if your time is worth anything, or you end up hiring an attorney, you may be money ahead in the long run to spend a few grand on a fence and be legal. Good luck.