Limits on RV Parking Get Tentative OK

A proposed ordinance that would limit residential street parking for large recreational vehicles to 24 hours instead of the current three days has been tentatively approved by the City Council.

The council acted on complaints from some homeowners that RVs and other large motor vehicles parked in residential areas are eyesores.

But RV owners requested that the 72-hour limit remain in effect because of concerns that 24 hours is not enough to load and unload their vehicles before and after lengthy trips.

In response, the council decided to include a provision in the ordinance allowing owners of the RVs and other large motor vehicles temporary exemptions upon request.

Vehicles with disabled license plates remain exempted from the ordinance.

The proposed ordinance, which will go before the council Jan. 22 for final adoption, would also require owners of large vehicles to park in front of their homes.

This is intended to prevent owners from circumventing the ordinance by parking in front of another resident’s home, said Police Lt. Tim Newman, who is in charge of the city’s traffic services.

Large vehicles are defined as measuring more than 7 feet wide and 7 feet tall, or measuring more than 22 feet long.

Some residents were worried that attachments to their vehicles, such as bicycle racks or air-conditioning units, might be included in the measurement.

But Newman said appendages to a vehicle will not be measured.