Bad news??
Someone please talk me in off the ledge. We have owned various RVs for the past 18 years. We have always been able to store them on our property. When we moved into our current home, we had the drivew...
Forum Discussion
I have a 20" Class B motorhome, a van camper. When I wanted to buy it I found out my city had an ordinance forcing them to only be parked behind the house out of sight from the street & needing a permit for that. Since my house had no way to get the mh behind the house I drafted a letter to city council, before I bought it, with a pic asking for permission to park it in my driveway. The city clerk had me go to the building head. He said it would be considered a conversion van & OK. Three years later the city passes a new ordinance eliminating the permits and totally banning mh's, etc. I was given 10 days to remove it. Over 100 others were cited for their mh's, tt, boats, etc, that were under the permits. I filed for a variance. Neighbors came with me & spoke to council then. I showed the copy of my prepurchase letter & explained I was not covered by the permit process. They said I needed 5 of 7 members votes. Only 6 were present. I got 4 votes & was denied. That really got me angry.
I spent weeks doing legal research & found many interesting things. A similar case in Ohio was fought to their supreme court & they ruled that homeowners have the right to park in their own drive. So no city can deny mh's there. I found similar cases in my state re heavy trucks etc. I found an attorney who helped me file a court case. I did all the work & research. I tried to get some of the others affected to go in on this. None wanted to be a part. State law said this could be fought if not too much time had passed.
While this went on I got very involved with city politics, appeared at every council meeting for 2 years, and worked with the more liberal minority during the next election and helped get newcomers elected & the liberals got in power. The city now said they'ld give me a variance if I withdrew my suit. I did, & they approved me 7-0. I spent less than $1,000, but the city spent over $10,000 fighting me. If had the financial & legal support of the other affected owners I may have gone on with the case to throw out the new ordinance. But since I could not get in under the old permit system & the others would not join I went with the variance.
My only slight concern is I can't replace my Class B with another without going for another variance which they would not grant. I plan on keeping mine forever, even replacing the engine if needed.
I learned much about legalities of getting a variance, court cases fighting this & more. I got advice from FMCA and Good Sam. I tried to get MH mfrs involved - They refused. I really think if we had gone all the way to our state's supreme court I would have won & MI would be like OH.
The OP's situation is different as this is an old ordinance. You will never win a selected enforcement argument. Never show examples of others doing it as you're really just turning them in. This took my constant attention & work for 2 years. Good thing I retired early. If you are not ready to do that & get involved politicly, you have the 3 options: store it, sell it, or move.
I spent weeks doing legal research & found many interesting things. A similar case in Ohio was fought to their supreme court & they ruled that homeowners have the right to park in their own drive. So no city can deny mh's there. I found similar cases in my state re heavy trucks etc. I found an attorney who helped me file a court case. I did all the work & research. I tried to get some of the others affected to go in on this. None wanted to be a part. State law said this could be fought if not too much time had passed.
While this went on I got very involved with city politics, appeared at every council meeting for 2 years, and worked with the more liberal minority during the next election and helped get newcomers elected & the liberals got in power. The city now said they'ld give me a variance if I withdrew my suit. I did, & they approved me 7-0. I spent less than $1,000, but the city spent over $10,000 fighting me. If had the financial & legal support of the other affected owners I may have gone on with the case to throw out the new ordinance. But since I could not get in under the old permit system & the others would not join I went with the variance.
My only slight concern is I can't replace my Class B with another without going for another variance which they would not grant. I plan on keeping mine forever, even replacing the engine if needed.
I learned much about legalities of getting a variance, court cases fighting this & more. I got advice from FMCA and Good Sam. I tried to get MH mfrs involved - They refused. I really think if we had gone all the way to our state's supreme court I would have won & MI would be like OH.
The OP's situation is different as this is an old ordinance. You will never win a selected enforcement argument. Never show examples of others doing it as you're really just turning them in. This took my constant attention & work for 2 years. Good thing I retired early. If you are not ready to do that & get involved politicly, you have the 3 options: store it, sell it, or move.
