I am looking to purchase a 5-10 acre lot in a (relatively) rural area so I can park an RV/Fifth on it and live there. Ideally with no adjacent neighbors.I would also build a wooden fence around it for privacy and security.Question is, which county in DC area, ideally in MD has zoning that allows this? A county that wouldn't care if someone lives in it on a continuous basis. I want some place private that to even see it, one would have to trespass on the property.Pretty much my choices at this point are Howard county and Anne Arundel county, maybe Frederick county. Ideally in either Montgomery county or PG county but I doubt either one would allow this.I would think some counties in Southern MD would allow this but the commute gets impossible.Looking for zoned agriculture, of course no HOA and no issues with large vehicles. I would need a place with a septic system and a source of water.I realize rural Arizona is a lot more conducive to this dream but moving out of DC is not an option.

Land like that is going to be tough to fide anywhere close to DC. Just because no one can see it without trespassing doesn't make any difference. The zoning laws are going to get you. You will need plans to get the permits for septic, water, and electric, and inspections after the install.The further from DC the easier, but you will have a long commute.Maybe W. Virginia.

In order to get a well or septic permit in a rural county area will require a plan for building a home or garage/business in the near future. Your best bet would be to look for a location with a recent fire or other event which would allow a location with existing well/septic/electric to be used the way you wish without overt government scrutiny. Even a location with a "still standing" trailer or mobile home, again, anything with functional well and septic in a location where you can be discrete......Otherwise, I would look toward Richmond or Essex county Va.

I am not sure "relatively rural" near DC exists - depending on your definition of "near". We lived in Frederick County MD and had 6 acres and was able to keep my MH in my driveway. Very rural where we lived - actually about 2 miles from Camp David in the Mountains. But that was a house, with water, sewer and electric. In MD zoning for keeping an RV isn't state or even County specific. It comes down to covenants in a particular neighborhood. But again, that's residential. The further you get away from DC the more available and affordable land is. Where we lived was about 1.5-2.5 hours away from DC depending on traffic (and there is a LOT of traffic via 270). Lots of people commute to DC from Frederick and even as far away as Washington County MD. I can't speak to things heading East toward the bay. My advice, pick a distance you can tolerate a commute, contact a realtor, and start looking at land. But buying a plot of land just to keep an RV with infrastructure to support it, would be something akin to a modular/Mobile home. installing Septic or tying into public septic is costly and requires a lot of paperwork and inspections. In some counties putting a hole in the ground will cost you $20k in impact fees. Maybe a Farmer would lease you a piece of land and avoid the headache altogether. Or look for "game land" or "recreational use" property and get someone to hook up electric and sewer on the down low.

your asking the wrong people ,go to the county court house and ask. and I,d get it in righting with there name when you are approved, get the facts then fight your way thew the paper work. everything on paper, BS don,t get you no where.

5-10 acres in the DC area will probably be a little more expensive than in Arizona.

Purchasing land to live on in DC area - zoning questions

24 Replies

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 02, 2020
Warning this is a joke. The intent of this post is to tell you about a good musician..

But just go to the acution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBfGHi_3ueg
Etstorm
Explorer
Jul 01, 2020
et cetera wrote:
Etstorm wrote:
Try Cherry Hiil RV for short term until you can find something permanent

I've already indicated I am not interested in parks and Cherry Hill is the very last item on my list, they don't have have monthly rates.

It's a place to stay if you stop in town for 3 days and wanted to be close to everything. Definitely not what I am looking for.

I stayed there for 18 months in a monthly rate, so yes they do. You may not like it or the price but they do have monthly rates!
Mike134
Explorer
Jul 01, 2020
midnightsadie wrote:
your asking the wrong people ,go to the county court house and ask. and I,d get it in righting with there name when you are approved, get the facts then fight your way thew the paper work. everything on paper, BS don,t get you no where.

X2 the odds are better of picking lottery ticket numbers than getting lucky on an RV forum getting ACCURATE information about zoning laws in a particular area.
JAC1982
Explorer
Jul 01, 2020
Sucks when you spawn a kid and then have to be a responsible and present parent for him/her, huh?

But really, can you find a cheaper rental, then buy land further away and just visit on weekends/vacations? That way you keep your location where your custody arrangement requires, and you can also live the RV life on the side.
way2roll
Navigator II
Jul 01, 2020
I applaud the creative thinking, but I question the feasibility or affordability and it sounds like it could jeopardize your custody situation. Pretty easy for her attorney to leverage the existing stigma about living in an RV full time. If you were considering a commute anyway, find a cheaper place to rent. $2000 is not the least expensive place you could live in a manageable commute to DC.

Divorces are never easy and buying anything may lead to an issue in court. This could include an RV. Renting is usually the smart move although I get "nothing to show for it". Pick your battles.

I am no attorney - I assume you have one - these are questions you should be asking him - at least the custody jeopardy piece.
joelc
Nomad
Jul 01, 2020
Check your Zoning. We have agricultural land in NC and have a pad and all R hook ups on it with a shed for our toys and washer/dryer. Living there is great, but there is one catch. 6 months at time only. Check your zoning or building Dept. to see if any restrictions. It works for us because we do leave to go North for 6 months.
JimK-NY
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2020
You need to talk to a realtor. I strongly suspect your plan is not going to work out. Costs of land and restrictions are going to be prohibitive.
et_cetera
Explorer
Jul 01, 2020
way2roll wrote:
Based on your follow up comments have you thought about renting an apartment and storing the RV when not in use? Trying to follow your methodology, but is living in the RV so important that it eclipses the thought of conventional housing?

My rental payments are close to $2000/month now. Granted I live in an expensive part of DC suburbs but it's pretty much like that everywhere now. I figure for that much, I can buy my own RV/TT/FW and pay it off in 5 years. I am already spending $100K/5 years in rent.

A RV seems a lot more viable, I get that it's not any cheaper all things considered, at least after the 5 years, I will have something to show for it but the area makes it so difficult to embrace anything other than totally conventional lifestyle.

I have been renting in DC for over a decade, I could have bought a very nice Fifth/RV and had it paid off by now. The problem was the ex and the courts and a brutal custody fight, they don't like that stuff. On top of having next to zero accommodations and I don't consider campgrounds 1.5 hours away viable. (They are far and expensive and again, the custody thing).

My son is almost of high school age and almost at the point where his opinion matters to the point where ex can't do anything. He wouldn't mind a classy Fifth.
et_cetera
Explorer
Jul 01, 2020
Etstorm wrote:
Try Cherry Hiil RV for short term until you can find something permanent

I've already indicated I am not interested in parks and Cherry Hill is the very last item on my list, they don't have have monthly rates.

It's a place to stay if you stop in town for 3 days and wanted to be close to everything. Definitely not what I am looking for.
et_cetera
Explorer
Jul 01, 2020
valhalla360 wrote:
Is the Ex aware her child is going to be living in an RV? Assuming it's not an amicable situation, I would expect that to come up with the court also.

Renting a townhouse may be the more logical choice at least until the child is out of highschool.

It's not even close to amicable, Iwo Jima battle is more like it.

But you are absolutely right, she might play that card in the court (trial #6) and it's a good way to lose custody as the entire court system is biased against the lifestyle.