Fighting zoning ordinances that hurt RV owners

[Obatanga_Boreal]

We just moved to a new township and AGAIN are faced with ridiculous local zoning ordinances that prevent or strictly impede RV owners from parking their rigs in their own paved driveways or on their own property! These rules are wholly unfair. It seems zoning officers, in their quest to restrict derelict vehicles from driveways, have lumped RV owners into the same group and it's a terrible injustice. How do RV groups fight this wholesale discrimination by petty local officials???

[pbeverly]

Use to live in a neighborhood with very strict HOA. At the time we had a pop-up camper which we stored on our property out in the middle of nowhere where we eventually built our home. A couple days before and after a camping trip we would park the camper in the driveway to prep for the trip and then cleanup afterwards. Every time we did this we got letters from the HOA complaining. The person who complained to the HOA owned an ice cream truck that he parked on the road in front of his house 365 days a year. So it was OK for his ice cream truck to sit there every day on the road but not for my camper on the driveway for a couple days before and after a trip. The HOA controlled your property, however, the roads were county roads, so the HOA had no control of the public road where he parked. As long as he could fire up the engine on the ice cream truck when someone complained he was good. So he kept the battery hooked up to shore power 365 days a year to make sure he could crank her up on demand. The guy owned at least one gas station where he could have parked it. He knew the rules and complained about everybody. When my wife moved into that house she got a complaint one day after she moved in about her grass being too high, not a good sign.

[tomman58]

Where we live you can keep it in your back yard behind the back of your house. AND it needs to be under 20' in length.
I know I really do not want to look at my neighbors TT and I take mine up North to our house there that is a vacation community at the lake. It is all cottages on large lots, perfect for TT storage as no one live year round next door.
I really think it is the right thing to do if you can.

[way2roll]

A1ARealtorRick wrote:

way2roll wrote:
This is an ordinance in our HOA - one I am not happy about and was changed after we moved here. We actually have boat storage in our neighborhood but RV's aren't permitted. We were told when we bought a lot here we could store our RV there - lied to basically. Anyway, the rule is that it can be in your drive for less than 24 hrs. But some folks do it for 2-3 days until someone complains. I've asked for an exception once for 3 days while we had family visiting to use it as a spare bedroom and it was denied. So now I don't ask for permission. I do what I want and ask for forgiveness later. There is an exception in cases of an extended power outage - like after a hurricane. I miss our old property. Had 6 acres and could store the Rv where I could see it.

If the ordinance was changed AFTER you moved there, were you able to have your say at the HOA meeting that was held when the matter was discussed and voted upon? I would imagine you did. And, relying on a verbal representation and basing your purchase on that is, well, just plain foolish. Sorry, just calling it as I see it.

Well assumptions without facts makes you - well, wrong. We went through a builder who brought down the lot and built the home and transferred to us. During that process the builder brought down enough lots to have controlling interest in the HOA. We technically weren't the homeowners then, the builder was. The timing was that the annual HOA meeting was held while the builder was building the house and thus we had no say and didn't even know. The family that owned the land was in control when we started the deal, when we were ready to build they sold all the lots to the builder. The process was in flux while the rules were changed and we weren't included. Anyway, long story short, we were told one things when we started the process and by the time we finished we had no idea ownership changed hands and thus the rules. By the time we signed the ink we were too personally and financially invested to die on that hill. But, had we known the rules had changed before they started the build, we would not have gone through with it. In various meetings since, several homeowners - including myself have brought this up in the HOA but not enough to sway a vote. Anyway, get the facts before you try and flame someone.

[Obatanga_Boreal]

Again, I appreciate the thoughtful comments. We do not live in some beach town where you might see RVs everywhere. It just makes little sense for township zoning boards to consider RVs as some sort of trash vehicle that brings down property values when tastefully parked in a long driveway. One neighbor mentioned that the township only enforces the RV ordinance if someone complains. Again, that's a ridiculous way to run a local government. There's also very few storage lots in the region, which further complicates the issue. I just don't understand the discrimination against RVers when I see dump trucks, utility vans, boat trailers, uninspected vehicles, etc. parked in local driveways. If I could, I'd just move out into the country somewhere. Or just hit the road in the rig! Thanks, folks.

[magicbus]

Amazing how many people don't bother to read the entire thread before posting their learned opinion. The OP has stated a number of times he does not live in an HOA :(.

DAve

[2012Coleman]

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Wow. I expected urbane, constructive comments on this board but have received a lot of disparaging remarks. Unbelievable. I expected more of an RV brotherhood here.

I'm your neighbor, I like to keep chickens and hatch chicks. But dangit! people reported me to the HOA because (they say) my rooster wakes them up too early!

I complained on my favorite chicken forum saying, it's not like I've got some big RV sitting in my driveway.... did I just type that? Anyway, got the same types of responses - so no chicken brotherhood for me.

Moral of the story is that the restrictions most likely prohibit stuff that you wouldn't want to put up with - and if you say you wouldn't care, then you most likely would not have moved there.

We took stock of the neighborhood we wanted to move into - saw RVs in driveways behind fences, checked the HOA covenants which said that and a few other things that were important to us were OK.

[Tvov]

First thing is to read and understand the zoning rules and/or HOA rules of wherever you are thinking of buying. We bought our house where we did because I read the zoning rules for the area, and reviewed the survey maps and laws.

Second thing - those rules can be changed. Petition the zoning board, and if enough people agree with you the rules can be changed. Run for office and get elected to the zoning board if that will help.

Petition the HOA for a rule change. If the majority of people agree with you, the rule will be changed. Join (or run for) a position on the HOA board if that will help.

Meanwhile, you will have to store your camper somewhere.

I have friends and family who bought homes in HOA run developments precisely because of all the rules that keep the area clean and neat and home values high.

I joke that my house and property are what HOAs were created to prevent.... lol!

[austinjenna]

I dont mind the HOA rules. They keep the neighborhood looking nice and resale value up.

[afidel]

cptqueeg wrote:
I bought a home in an HOA w strict rules so the place never becomes an eyesore. It's a hassle but I deal with it.

The next town to the south has boats, and rvs parked everywhere and it's horrid.

In another area, my buddy bought a 1 acre lot w no restrictions and he built the garagemahal to live in. It works for him but doesn't do justice to the beautiful, classic low country brick homes that he has around him. Nothing like having a concrete driveway encircle the house (like a moat) so you call pull through w truck and 21' center console.

It's SO horrid, people using the property they own to store legal vehicles that they own, get me my smelling salts. I guess I'm in favor of some HOAs if it keeps busybodies like you from petitioning city councils to pass MORE regulations! Seriously, unless someone's causing a public health problem or presenting an attractive nuisance my attitude is do what you want with your property. As long as there aren't consequences on MY property it's no big deal (and in one case even though it has worsened the flooding in my yard I haven't complained because it keeps his driveway from washing out every few years).

[RetiredRealtorR]

IDman wrote:
I post this as an RV owner that stores his RV in a lot away from our neighborhood. We do not want to look out our windows and see a bunch of RVs in various condition up and down our street. If I wanted to see that, we would live in an RV park!!

Residential neighborhoods are just that! Maintain your lawn, keep the house looking good, take pride in your area.

Store your RV somewhere else!!

I fully agree. I'm A Realtor, and there are WAY more people wanting some type of conformity to their neighborhood, and not a bunch of RV;s, boats, ATV's and so forth parked wherever folks want to park them. Most RV owners have no problem paying $50 a month to safely store their RV somewhere close to home. It's the responsible thing to do. Unless you use something on a daily basis, it really doesn't need to be in your driveway -- especially something as large as and as view-blocking as a Class A RV.

[sayoung]

schlep1967 wrote:
What is the municipality? I would like to see the ordinance that says a vehicle registered, insured and inspected by state regulations, cannot be legally kept inn your driveway. Or is this an HOA situation?

Jim Thorpe Pa in 1980's had an ordinance prohibiting Pickup trucks from parking at a residence. My Daughter & late SiL had to move there for a year for his job and you being from Tx he drove a truck. Lots of bull puckey from a few neighbors.

[IDman]

I post this as an RV owner that stores his RV in a lot away from our neighborhood. We do not want to look out our windows and see a bunch of RVs in various condition up and down our street. If I wanted to see that, we would live in an RV park!!

Residential neighborhoods are just that! Maintain your lawn, keep the house looking good, take pride in your area.

Store your RV somewhere else!!

[mich800]

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Wow. I expected urbane, constructive comments on this board but have received a lot of disparaging remarks. Unbelievable. I expected more of an RV brotherhood here.

You are getting constructive comments. You just do not like them. The simple answer is, if you do not like it either do not move there or get involved and propose changes.

[cptqueeg]

I bought a home in an HOA w strict rules so the place never becomes an eyesore. It's a hassle but I deal with it.

The next town to the south has boats, and rvs parked everywhere and it's horrid.

In another area, my buddy bought a 1 acre lot w no restrictions and he built the garagemahal to live in. It works for him but doesn't do justice to the beautiful, classic low country brick homes that he has around him. Nothing like having a concrete driveway encircle the house (like a moat) so you call pull through w truck and 21' center console.

[wapiticountry]

Lynnmor wrote:

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Wow. I expected urbane, constructive comments on this board but have received a lot of disparaging remarks. Unbelievable. Apparently, this is not a nice place at all.

People want to be totally controlled, it's not like the country our founding fathers envisioned.

The total lack of control leads to places like Seattles CHOP.